The Silver Mine Arc
by XFangHeartX
Summary: Summary inside. Read and review, and no flames or hate, please! SPOILERS INSIDE!
1. The Silver Fortress

The Silver Mine Arc

* * *

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard, Jupiter, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Reggie, and Kuro Diablo © Me

* * *

Summary- After their escapade on Dressrosa, Luffy and his group continue on to Zou in order to meet up with Sanji's team. However, during the voyage, Luffy and Bartolomeo are captured by an old acquaintance of the latter, who works for a pirate known as Bill. Bill has made up an alliance with other pirate crews in order to take over the New World. However, it seems that Bill is working for someone WAY higher up.

* * *

Previously, our heroes had landed in the country of Dressrosa in order to carry out their plan to destroy Donquixote Doflamingo's SMILE Factory. However, things took an unexpected turn when Luffy enters a fighting tournament with Blizzard in order to win the late Portgas D. Ace's Flame-Flame Fruit. During that time, Luffy befriends a woman gladiator named Rebecca, who is fighting to protect a toy soldier who had raised her since her childhood. Things get even worse when it is revealed that Doflamingo had set a trap for the Straw Hat-Heart Alliance, planning to take them all out and get Caesar back.

When Law loses a one-on-one fight against his former captain, Luffy resolves to save him while Nami, Sanji, Chopper, Brook, and Momonosuke flee with Caesar to Zou, all while being chased by Big Mom's crew. During that time, Luffy has an unexpected reunion with his long-lost brother, Sabo, who had been thought dead for 12 years and is now the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff. After Luffy rescues Law and Usopp undoes the spell on the citizens that have been turned into toys, Doflamingo decides to kill everyone on the island using his Birdcage in order to hide his decade-long secret: that he had stolen the throne from King Riku Dold III and framed him.

After a long and hard battle between Luffy and Doflamingo, along with help from Luffy's newfound allies, Dressrosa is saved, and Admiral Fujitora of the Marines shows the world the tragedy of what has taken place, much to Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's ire. A few days after some much needed rest, Luffy and the group set out to catch up to Sanji and the rest of the crew, but as they do, they gain some more muscle in the form of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. At first, Aika was not pleased at the idea, fearing that Luffy and the others will leave her and Kumi behind due to weakness, but Luffy resolves to train her in order for her to get stronger.

Since his defeat, Doflamingo predicts that a great war will occur over the One Piece, and there will only be one victor...and that person will be the next King of the Pirates.

After the celebration, the Straw Hats see that their bounties have risen (except for Aika and Kumi, who have not gotten any bounties despite their involvement). However, for some strange reason, Sanji is only wanted alive, and Blizzard, as usual, senses that something is wrong.

With Doflamingo vanquished, Luffy, his crew, Law, and Jupiter continue to sail to Zou in order to catch up to Sanji's group while hitching a ride with Bartolomeo.

Right now, it's only been a day since the Straw Hats departed from Dressrosa and said goodbye to all their friends and allies. As the _Going Luffy-Senpai_ sailed...one little wolf girl is seen, standing on the upper deck as she punches a barrel.

"Again!" Luffy ordered, back in his usual red cardigan, yellow sash, and blue pants.

"HA!" Aika shouted as she punched the barrel. She was wearing her dark red cowgirl hat, a jade green shirt with the kanji for "howl" on the front, a pair of yellow shirts, bandages wrapped around her left elbow, and a band-aid on her right calf. Also, she had a long pipe, strapped to her back.

"Again!" Luffy ordered, causing Aika to punch the barrel again with a loud "HA". "Again!"

"HA!"

"Again!"

"HAA!"

"Okay, I think that's enough. You can rest now."

Aika panted as she looked at her knuckles, which were bleeding from punching on the barrel so much. She then looked at the wooden container, which was stained red, only to see that she had barely made a dent, causing her to sigh.

"You did pretty good today, Aika," Luffy smiled. "But next time, try not to punch it so much that your hands bleed."

"You said that last time, too," Aika answered. "My hands still bled. Big Brother, I feel like I'm not getting any stronger."

"You will get stronger, Aika," Luffy said as he took Aika's hands into his own, despite the blood. "I told you, this kind of thing doesn't happen overnight. I mean, look at me! You think I got this strong in just one day? I spent 10 years in a jungle, training to become a pirate, and 2 years ago, Blizzard and I were training on an island, fighting off giant animals!"

"...Do I have to fight giant animals?" Aika asked.

"No, Aika," Luffy replied. "You don't have to fight giant animals."

"Oh, okay," Aika said.

That's when Robin appeared, wearing a pale rose turtleneck shirt, dark fuschia-colored shorts, and a pair of cream colored heels.

"How's training going?" Robin asked as she looked down at Aika, only to gasp upon seeing her bleeding knuckles. "Oh, my!"

"Hi, Aunt Robin," Aika greeted, casually.

"Did you need something, Robin?" Luffy asked.

"Oh, yes," Robin answered as she began to clean and disinfect Aika's wounds, then bandage them. "Rooster Boy said that lunch should be ready soon."

"Lunch!" Luffy and Aika exclaimed as they looked at each other with drooling mouths.

XXX

Down on the deck, Zoro, Usopp, Franky, Blizzard, Kumi, Kin'emon, and Kanjuro are sitting around a spread of food, such as meat, hot dogs, rice, noodles, soup, and other dishes.

"WHOA!" Luffy exclaimed as he and Aika came down to join them. "Look at that spread!"

"Looks great, doesn't it?!" Usopp asked, wearing a light green short-sleeved collared shirt buttoned up halfway with a short, black line on the middle of each sleeve and a dark green cap with his signature goggles resting on top of it.

"Can't wait to eat it!" Franky added, wearing a black v-neck t-shirt with four symbols on it arranged in a square pattern (An "I", "H", "T", and a sun-like symbol), and his hair styled in a bit of a slicked-back look, like Smoker's.

"Heh!" Zoro smirked, wearing a dark-blue t-shirt with his green coat and haramaki over a pair of long, black trousers and boots. "Not bad!"

 _"Let's dig in!"_ Blizzard exclaimed, wearing a dark red shirt the word "Zou" on the front, a cartoon elephant's face replacing the "o".

"All right, everyone!" Bartolomeo announced as his crew ran back and forth from the kitchen, carrying plates of food. "Help yourselves to the grub, and have as many helpings as you like! Show us what the infamous appetite of the Straw Hats can do!"

"Thanks a lot for the food!" Luffy called as he and the others ate, the piles of dishes growing and growing around them. "It sure is good!"

"Thank you, Barty!" Aika added, eating a cookie that looked like Chopper's face.

"I can't believe the Straw Hat Pirates are eating our homemade meals!" Gambia said with starry eyes. "And even more so, they're enjoying them!"

"WE'RE SO HAPPY TO BE ALIVE!" exclaimed the Barto Club crew.

However, it seemed that the happiness was short-lived, for Robin soon spotted some dark clouds up in the sky, rumbling with thunder.

"Oh, dear," Robin said. "I don't think I like the look of those storm clouds."

As soon as everyone looked up, a huge chunk of hail came falling from the sky and hit the sea with a loud **SPLASH!** Soon after, more ice chunks came raining down!

"GAH!" Usopp screamed. "IT'S HAILING!"

"And they're HUGE!" Luffy shouted. "It's as big as your head!"

"Look out! Take cover!" Robin cried.

Aika and Kumi ran around in panic, barely avoiding getting hit by one of the hail chunks, which ended up putting a hole in the deck.

"Oh, crap!" cursed one of the Barto Club Pirates.

"Quickly!" Bartolomeo ordered. "Luffy- _senpai_ and everyone else! Hurry and get inside!"

"What?! No way!" Luffy shouted. "We can help, too!"

"Hey, which one of you is the navigator here?!" Franky questioned as he punched the hail away. "I need orders!"

"Oh, well, that's the thing," Bartolomeo answered. "We don't have a navigator. We were just a bunch of land-based gangsters at first!"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Usopp questioned.

 _"How'd idiots like you survive this long in the New World?!"_ Blizzard questioned. _"Gimme a freaking break!"  
_  
"Hey! Granny!" Gambia said into a Transponder Snail. "This is Gambia! Listen, huge hail just started falling on us! What do we do?!"

"Oh, that's right!" Bartolomeo realized. "Whenever we got into scrapes like this, we'd usually call Granny back at home to give us advice!"

"Oh, that's great!" Usopp replied. "Someone who knows the sea very well! So what do we do, then?!"

"Hey, I know!" Gambia piped up. "Isn't there wads of chewing gum stuck to the deck and we couldn't get them off?"

"Wait, that's what that is?" Robin asked, grimacing a bit in disgust.

 _'I hate chewing gum,'_ she added mentally.

"Granny says if we wrap up the hail with cloth, the gum will peel right off!" said Gambia.

"Hey, she's right!" said another Barto Club member as he used the hail to peel off some gum. "Look! It came right off!"

"THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF ADVICE WE NEED, RIGHT NOW!" Usopp barked.

Just then, **WHAK!** One of the crew members got knocked out by a giant piece of hail!

"See?! You got hit!" Usopp shouted.

"She says to rub some sugar on the bump on his head!" Gambia spoke up.

"ENOUGH WITH THE FOLK STUFF!" cried Usopp.  
 _  
"Seriously, how did you guys survive this long?!"_ Blizzard questioned.

"This isn't good!" Aika cried, holding onto Luffy's leg. "At this rate, we'll sink!"

"I'm scared!" Kumi yelped.

"NAMI!" Luffy cried. "HELP US~!"

"Nami isn't here, Luffy!" Zoro shouted.

"Of all the ships we could've boarded," Usopp started, "we ended up getting on the wrong one!"

"I guess we have no choice but to deal with this ourselves!" Zoro said.

"If only we had the _Sunny_ with us!" Franky added.

"How lively," Robin chuckled.

"Aunt Robin, how can you laugh about this?!" Aika asked while other members of the Barto Club kept getting knocked out by the hail.

"Hey! Do something!" Zoro ordered Bartolomeo. "Use your barrier!"

"I can't!" Bartolomeo answered. "Granny says we should never defy nature, or we'll live to regret it!"

"ARE YOU KIDDING?!" Zoro questioned. "IF YOU'RE THAT SCARED, THEN GO BACK TO BEING ON LAND!"

"Are these idiots for real?!" Law asked as Jupiter shielded him and himself with Haki-imbued wings.

 _"Apparently, they are!"_ Jupiter answered.

That's when Luffy jumped onto the figurehead of the ship.

"Looks like I got no choice," Luffy said. "I'll have to smash all this hail myself!"

"Oh~!" the Barto Club exclaimed with starry eyes of amazement.

"That's right!" Bartolomeo shouted. "The great Straw Hat Pirates who don't even fear god are here, and it's like having the strength of a thousand men!"

"Our appreciation rains down like this hail!" declared the Barto Club crew.

"These guys are seriously a bunch of nimrods!" Usopp sneered.

"Now Gum-Gum...GATLING~!" Luffy roared as he stretched out his arms, smashing the hailstones into powdery snow.

 _'It's only a short time until we reach Zou,'_ thought Bartolomeo, who had comical tears of awe in his eyes, 'but even so...I'm glad to be sailing with the awesome Luffy-senpai!'

"We are so happy!" cried the Barto Club crew.

"YOU GUYS HELP, TOO, DAMMIT!" Zoro cursed.

XXX

That night, as everything had settled down, the Straw Hats, Law, Jupiter, Kin'emon, and Kanjuro and the Barto Club are sound asleep, having tired themselves out from all the excitement. As they slumbered, however...three shadowy figures appeared in the distance, one of them smirking while eating a bar of chocolate.

As everyone slept, Luffy stood near the deck, looking up to the waning moon and the cloudy sky. He spotted two seagulls flying overhead and wheeling around each other, as if playing together, before they continued flying away. Luffy sighed as held his hands together.

"Luffy- _senpai_?"

Luffy turned to see Bartolomeo approach him in concern.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah," Luffy answered. "Everything's fine...it's just..." He then sighed as he looked up at the sky again. "...I really miss Nami. I haven't seen her since Dressrosa...and ever since I finished beating up Mingo, I can't stop worrying about her...Sanji, Brook, and Chopper, too. I mean, I know they made it to Zou okay. Nami's a top-notch navigator and I didn't pick her for nothing."

 _'Ahh...Nami-senpai,'_ thought Bartolomeo. 'The future Pirate Queen whose beauty stops the heart of man! No one else is fit to be Luffy-senpai's woman!"

"The last time I talked to her, she, Sanji, Chopper, and Brook were being chased by Big Mom's crew," Luffy spoke up. "I just can't help but worry, y'know? I mean...I don't know what would happen if I never saw any of my crew again!"

 _'There it is!'_ thought Bartolomeo. 'The great love that Luffy-senpai has for his crew! It's one of his many traits that I admire!'

Just then, Luffy seemed to spot something in the sky...and he gasped when he saw what it was: a giant hunk of meat.

"MEAT!" he cried as he jumped after it and latched onto it with his teeth. "FOOD FOR ME!"

"Wait, hang on!" Bartolomeo shouted as he grabbed onto Luffy's legs, and before long, SPLASH! They both fell into the water, causing the others to awaken.

"What was that?!" Kin'emon questioned. "Is it hailing, again?!"

"I'm not sure," Kanjuro answered.

"Big Brother?" Aika asked as she looked around. "Big Brother, where are you?!"

Not too far from them, it is revealed that the meat is being pulled by a giant fishing rod, which reeled Luffy and Bartolomeo onto a platform.

"Unh...Luffy- _senpai_ ," Bartolomeo groaned, he and Luffy both soaking wet from the sea water. "Both of us are Devil Fruit users...the sea water makes us weak...!"

"Look, Sis!" exclaimed a woman, dressed up like a delinquent. "We got him! We got Straw Hat!"

"Yeah," answered another woman with red hair that had streaks that were dyed blonde, a long, dark blue coat resembling that of typical street thugs with a picture of the ocean on the back, sarashi binding around her breasts, and a pair of light blue jeans with a letter S belt buckle. "But also we got this green-haired loser."

"Incredible...!" whispered a large, hunchbacked man with a rather sickly complexion and dark green, lightning-bolt shaped tattoos on his body and face, as well as a tattoo on his arm that looked like a silver "S" with crossbones, and a skull wearing a red bandanna and sunglasses. "You actually lured Straw Hat Luffy with that giant piece of meat! Just like you said, Desire! You're amazing! Amazing, amazing, AMAZING~!"

"Who're those guys?!" Zoro asked as he spotted the strangers.

"Oh, no!" Aika cried. "They've got Big Brother!"

"And the Captain, too!" added Gambia.

"That's them," said Desire. "Pirate Hunter Zoro, God Usopp, Cyborg Franky, Demon Child Robin, and White Wolf Blizzard. All right, everybody! Let's do this!" She then took a bite out of her chocolate bar. "Just as we planned!"

With that, she revved up the engine on the Flying Fish she sat on, using some sort of boiler as an engine, before she and her cohorts charged forward!

"Here they come!" Aika exclaimed.

 _"Not good!"_ Kumi added.

"Listen up, Straw Hat Pirates!" Desire shouted. "I am a former captain of the Sweets Pirates from the East Blue! The name's Desire, thank you very much!"

"Knock it off!" Usopp shouted as he prepared to fire his Black Kabuto. "Give Luffy back!"

"Yeah!" Aika added, holding her pipe.

"Aika, what are you doing?!" Robin asked. "Get inside!"

"But I wanna fight!" Aika argued.

"No way! You're not ready yet!" Zoro refuted. "Let Usopp handle this!"

Aika only pouted at this.

"No fair," she mumbled.

"Certain Death: Green Star!" Usopp shouted. "SEA DEVIL!"

 **PYEW!** He fired a Pop Green into the water.

"Here comes a projectile!" called Desire. "Formation: Madeleine!"

On that, the Sweets Pirates split up and then formed a circle around the giant flytrap plant, which tried to chomp on them, only for them to fire cannonballs at the stem, causing it to topple over into the water.

"What the hell?!" Usopp questioned. "They destroyed it!"

"Now can I fight?!" Aika asked.

"No, Aika!" Robin answered.

"Let me try!" Franky spoke as he held up his fist, just as Desire and her comrades broke through the smoke.

"All right, get ready!" Desire called to her small fleet. "This time, it's a machine gun!"

"Weapons LEFT!" Franky shouted as he opened fire on the Sweet Pirates, managing to hit only one while the others split up.

"AH!" a young woman with curly hair shrieked. "I'M HIT!"

"Hang on!" Desire called out as she drove to her and caught her in her arm. "You okay?"

"I am now!" said her comrade. "Thanks, Big Sis!"

"Damn!" Franky cursed. "Couldn't get 'em!"

"Now can I-" Aika started.

"NO!" everyone shouted, causing her to flinch.

 **KABOOM!** Two cannons were fired at the _Going Luffy-Senpai_ , sending two cannonballs towards the ship. Zoro quickly made short work of them by cutting them in two, but when he did, a strange, sticky substance came out and fell on him.

"What the hell is this stuff?!" the swordsman questioned.

"Shoot them down!" shouted the hunchbacked man, causing several other pirates to shoot at the _Going Luffy-Senpai_. Soon, the whole crew was covered in the sticky goop.

"I-I can't move!" Robin cried.

"Me neither!" Usopp shouted, struggling to get free.

"Ngh! What a calamity!" Kin'emon added.

"What is this?!" Franky questioned. "Is this...birdlime?!"

"It's sticky~!" cried the Barto Club Pirates.

Blizzard, Aika, and Kumi are the only ones who weren't stuck. However, they soon saw that they had a bigger problem on their hands, for they found themselves getting shot at again.

 _"Look out!"_ Blizzard shouted as he scooped the girls up in his mouth and ran for the railing.

"Wait, what about the others?!" Aika asked.

"I'll go back for them! I promise!" Blizzard shouted as he jumped off and landed in the sea, just as the cannonballs hit the ship.

"HA!" the tattooed hunchbacked man laughed. "How pathetic they are! Shoot them all dead!"

"Hold it!" Desire ordered. "That's enough. Pull back, Peseta."

"What?!" the man, Peseta, questioned.

"I'm in charge of this assault squad," Desire replied. "We're heading back to Silver Mine. We got what we came for."

With that, the squad drove off, taking Luffy and Bartolomeo with them. As they did, Desire glanced back at the latter, who groaned as he slipped into unconscious. However, not too far behind them, Blizzard is seen tailing after the squad with Aika and Kumi on his back.

"You're not getting away that easily," Aika said with a glare. "No one's taking my Big Brother away!"

XXX

The next day, an island is shown in the middle of the sea. It was deserted and had outcroppings of rocks everywhere. In the middle of it all, though, is a giant silver tower.

This is Silver Mine, a deserted, solitary island near Dressrosa. A silver fortress dominates the center of the island, and its sparkle makes even the surrounding waters shine...and it is here that some pirates are just returning with quite a load of treasure being pulled behind them on a cart.

"So?" asked one of the pirates as their fishes docked in the port. "How'd it go?"

"We got another fine haul!" answered his comrade, glancing back at the hoard of treasure.

XXX

Meanwhile, in a hidden somewhere inside the fortress...a shadowy figure is seen, munching on what looked like a pile of stones. As he did...a glowing red substance dripped off him...something that looked suspiciously like molten rock. The figure opened his mouth, allowing steam to seep out of his lips. He picked up another piece of rock before he began to bite into it like it was an apple and began to walk out, the strange liquid dripping off his body and turning into something that looked like silver...before it melted through the floor.

XXX

Concurrently, somewhere outside, some guards had been stationed at various points. They had these simple orders: nobody suspicious gets in and nobody suspicious goes out, either. As they walked around, one guard seemed to stand out above the rest: he was a burly man, very muscular, with huge arms and tanned skin. His legs were disproportionate to the rest of his body, and he had a head of white hair on his head. He had several scars: two on the left side of his stomach, possibly left by bullets, one of his right pectorl, one on his left shoulder, and one on his right wrist that had been closed with stitches. Strapped to his back is a nodachi, similar to Law's _Kikoku_ , and the only thing he wore is a pair of navy blue trousers and a mahogany sash around his waist.

"Reggie!" called one of the guards, gaining the man's attention. "Perimeter looks clear around here!"

"Check again, just to make sure," answered the man, known as Reggie.

"Yes, sir!" answered the guard as he walked off, carrying his rifle.

As the guards continue their patrol...a familiar white wolf-dog poked his head out from behind a corner, looking around cautiously.

 _"Blizzard? What do you see?"_ asked Kumi as she and Aika stood behind him.

 _"Everywhere we go,"_ Blizzard started, _"there are guards. Luffy must definitely be here."  
_  
"So?" Aika asked. "Let's take those guards out and rescue him already!"  
 _  
"Now wait a minute, Aika,"_ Blizzard scolded. _"Don't be so eager!"  
_  
"Why not?" Aika asked. "I can take them!"

 _"You're not ready to handle these kind of fights, yet,"_ Blizzard retorted, causing the Honshu Wolf-girl to pout.

 _"Aika, listen to him,"_ Kumi said. _"If we go out there with our heads sticking out, we'll get swarmed! And then we'll never rescue Luffy and Barty!"  
_  
"...I know," Aika muttered, "but still..."

"Look, Aika," Blizzard began, "consider this part of your training. Sometimes, the best defense is stealth." He then glanced back around the corner. "In order to confuse and disorient the enemy, you must use the element of surprise."

As he said this, though...the wolf-dog gasped as he noticed that Reggie was making direct eye contact with him, causing him to gasp before he went back to hiding behind the rock wall.

 _"Dammit!"_ Blizzard cursed. _"I was careless! One of them spotted me!"_

"What do we do?"

Kumi asked.

"Let's fight!" Aika exclaimed, grabbing her pipe.

 _"No, Aika!"_ Blizzard shouted. _"Don't! You're not ready!"  
_  
"But I wanna fight!" Aika added. "Why won't you let me?!"

"Uhh...Aika?" Kumi asked. "This isn't the time to be arguing! I think we should-"

Suddenly, **KROOSH!** Something jumped out of the ground before the Canine Trio, causing them all to gasp in surprise, for it is revealed to be Reggie, only now, he looked different. His body, aside from the front, was covered in black fur, and his fingers were replaced with long, white claws.

"Surprise!" he shouted. "GUMAMAMAMAMA!"

"A honey badger?!" Kumi questioned.

 _"A Devil Fruit power!"_ Blizzard cried. _"Girls, run away!"  
_  
"No way!" Aika shouted. "I'm staying here!"

 _"Dammit, Aika!"_ Blizzard cursed as he kicked Aika away. _"Just go!"  
_  
"AGH!" cried Aika as she slid along the ground.

Blizzard growled as he glared at Reggie, who grinned in a sick manner as he gripped the hilt of his nodachi.

"Well, well," said honey badger-man. "Looks like a little lost mutt just stuck his nose where it don't belong!"

XXX

Inside one of the tunnels of the Silver Mine, someone is seen, hitting a wall of rock with a pickax, and it is revealed that that someone is Bartolomeo, who held a pickax in his hands, which were covered in the same substance that his crew and the rest of the Straw Hats had been bombarded with the night before.

"Ugh...!" Bartolomeo groaned as he kept hitting the wall with the pickax. "If it's for the sake of Luffy- _senpai_...then I have no choice! Urrgh...why the hell am I doin' this, anyway?!"

 **WHAPASH!** A whip struck the Super Rookie in the back, causing him to cry out in pain as the force of the crack threw him into a wall. It is revealed that the one who whipped him is Peseta...whose whole head was hitting the ceiling.

"Quit your whining, you impudent moron!" he ordered. "Did you dig up any ore like I asked?!"

"Ngh!" Bartolomeo grunted as he stood up. "What about Luffy- _senpai_?! Is he okay?!"

"Hehehehehe- OW!" Peseta snickered, only for his face to grind up against the stone ceiling and scrape his skin. "Sure, he's fine...at the moment, anyway. But there's no guarantee he will be in 10 minutes!"

"What?!" Bartolomeo questioned. "10 minutes?! If you do anything to my glorious _senpai_ , I'll never forgive you, you hunchbacked bastard!"

He attempted to his Peseta with his pickax, only for the taller man to jump back and literally whip him, causing the Cannibal to go flying back into the wall again.

"Shut your mouth and keep digging, you idiot!" barked Peseta, hitting his head against the ceiling again, before he turned to leave. "I'll be back- ow! To check- ow! On your progress- OW!"

Bartolomeo tried to go after him, only to fall down because the pickax was too heavy.

"OOF!" he cried. "Ugh...dammit! If only I could use my barrier! But more importantly...that red-haired tramp from last night?! Who the hell was she, anyway?!" He then growled in frustration. "LUFFY- _SENPAI~!_ "

XXX

Meanwhile...

"Hey! Lemme outta here! Lemme out!"

Somewhere in a prison cell, it is revealed that Luffy has been locked up, and what's more, his body was encased in a giant ball of silver.

"Lemme out, dammit!" Luffy called out. "Lemme out~!" He then groaned, pathetically. "It's no use...I'm too hungry and I've got no strength...!"

"Oh, will you just give up, already?"

Luffy looked up to see Desire and her fellow crewmates.

"Look at how pathetic you look," said the female delinquent. "Bill's gonna execute you, soon, so why bother putting up a fight?"

"Who's Bill?" Luffy asked.

"Our boss, of course," answered Desire.

"Where are my friends?!" Luffy questioned. "Where's my little sister?!

"How should I know?" Desire asked. "Not that you should expect help, anyway. We destroyed that tasteless ship with our Battle Boats. We're the ultimate attack squadron that makes full use of the weapons that Bill forges for us with the power of the Smelt-Smelt Fruit. You, Straw Hat Luffy, have lost, and your friends are nothing more than fish food, by now."

"That's not true!" Luffy barked. "Zoro, Blizzard, and the others don't die so easily!"

"I'm just telling you the truth," Desire smirked.

"Well, I say you're lying!" Luffy shouted.

"I am not lying!" Desire argued.

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too, infinity!"

"DAMMIT!" Desire cursed, growing comically angry.

"Big Sis, relax," advised one of the women that accompanied Desire.

 **Grrrrrrwwwwll~!** Luffy's stomach started growling, causing him to sigh pathetically.

"I'm so hungry...!" he complained, to the girls' confusion. "I just wanted that giant piece of flying meat from last night...hey, do you still have that? Can I have it? Pretty please?"

"Hell no!" shouted Desire and her crew.

"But I want it~!" Luffy whined as he struggled inside the ball, causing it to totter left and right. "Gimme meat~! Gimme, gimme, gimme~!"

"Will you shut up, already?!" Desire questioned.

"Gimme meat, now-" Luffy shouted, only for the redhead to shove a chocolate bar in his mouth.

"Here!" said Desire. "Just eat that and keep your mouth shut, will you?!"

"Big Sis!" exclaimed the women.

"It's fine," Desire reassured. "It's just one little chocolate bar. It's not enough to fill his stomach. He can't break that ball that Bill made."

"Yummy~!" Luffy exclaimed as he finished the whole chocolate bar. "Thanks a lot, lady! You're really nice, huh?"

Upon hearing that, Desire's face flushed pink, but then she scoffed.

"Don't screw with me, jerk!" she shouted. "It's not like I feel sorry for you or anything! I wish Bill would kill you, already!"

Just then, **PURU-PURU-PURU! PURU-PURU-PURU!** Desire gasped silently before she pressed on the Mini Transponder Snail hooked up to her.

"This is Desire," she answered. "...Uh-huh. Got it. I'll be right there with him."

 **KOCHEP!** She hung up before she glanced up at Luffy.

"It's time, Straw Hat," she grinned, to the Straw Hat Captain's confusion.

XXX

"Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!"

On a stage, the shadowy figure from before came walking out under a spotlight as the stands were filled with pirates who chanted the name "Bill" over and over with great enthusiasm. The figure is revealed to be a muscular man with long, light brown hair. He wears an open blue jacket, purple pants with a blue star on the left leg, gray boots, a silver necklace as well as earrings, a belt wrapped around his waist multiple times, a red scarf tied to the belt, and a red cap with goggles on top, as well as a belt with an S on the buckle. On his left bicep is the same Jolly Roger that is tattooed on Peseta.

"Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!" the pirates chanted before the man, revealed to be the one called Bill, raised his hand, causing them to stop.

"...My friends," he began, "who are aiming to go to the top with me...welcome, my friends of the Silver Pirate Alliance!"

Upon hearing that, everyone began to cheer while Bill smirked.

"Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!" the pirates in the auditorium chanted as their leader stood before them, only to stand up when he held out his hand.

"All right," said Bill. "Let's see how well you guys did, today. Who's first?"

"Bill! Over here!" called a pirate with a scar on his face and a red T-shirt. "Hey, you! Stand up!" He then pulled up a man with spiky hair and a scar on his forehead.

"Lemme see here," Bill said as he looked at a stack of wanted posters. "Oh! Looks like you got Boblat, a pirate with a bounty of 68 million! Well done!"

Hearing that caused the pirate to laugh with glee until another pirate spoke up.

"Hey, Bill! Me next!" called one wearing a bandanna around his head before he held up a beaten-up man with long hair in the front.

"That there's Tambu with a bounty of 70 million," Bill noted, looking at Tambu's wanted poster.

"I didn't just capture him," said the pirate, "but I also looted his ship and got all his treasure to boot!"

"Oh! Good job, buddy!" Bill praised, and soon, all the other pirates in the room started clamoring all at once.

"Hey, Bill! See how good I did today!"

"I wanna show my catch, too!"

"Me, too! Over here!"

As the pirates spoke, Desire and her crew came walking towards the stage, rolling Luffy forward as they did, and Peseta soon noticed.

"Oh, there you are, Desire," he said.

"...Where's Bartolomeo, Peseta?" Desire asked.

"Oh, don't worry," answered Peseta. "He's being treated with the utmost respect, as you requested."

"...Good," Desire replied as she and her squad went up on stage with Luffy in tow.

"And who is this, Desire?" asked Bill.

"Bill," Desire answered, a blush on her face, "this is the rookie the 500 million bounty on his head! Straw Hat Luffy, who you wanted to capture!"

The crowd gasped at this.

"No way! It can't be!"

"THE Straw Hat Luffy?!"

"I don't believe it!"

"...Bill?" Luffy repeated.

"I'm impressed, Desire!" Bill exclaimed. "Well done!"

Desire blushed even more and smiled, holding her cheek like a little school with a crush.

"Hold it, boss!"

Everyone looked up to see Reggie...who was holding someone over his shoulder.

"I got someone, too," the honey badger-man answered as he roughly tossed whoever it was onto the stage. Luffy gasped in shock, for he saw that it was Blizzard, heavily beaten and hogtied with chains!

"Oh! That's White Wolf Blizzard with a bounty of 400 thousand!" Bill realized.

"Caught him snooping around the mines with some little girl and her puppy," said Reggie. "I guess they came here to save Straw Hat."

"Wait, Aika and Kumi came here with you?!" Luffy asked. "Where are they now?!"

 _"They ran off...while I was fighting this guy,"_ Blizzard answered, his voice strained with pain. _"They could be anywhere in this godforsaken place...!"_ He then looked up at Reggie. _"I didn't expect him...to be so tough!"_

Flashback

Blizzard growled as Reggie drew his nodachi while Aika and Kumi ran from the scene. Soon, the honey badger-man swung his blade at the wolf-dog, who jumped over his head and landed behind him. He then bared his teeth and lunged at him from behind, aiming right for his neck. However, for some reason, Reggie didn't even make an attempt to dodge. He just stood there as the wolf-dog bit down...and yet, Blizzard seemed to struggle.  
 _  
'What's going on?!'_ thought Blizzard as he tried to hit the jugular vein, and yet he felt Reggie's skin moving about in his mouth with each bite, and his fangs wouldn't even sink in, all the way through! _'I can't get a grip on him!'  
_  
"Having trouble?" Reggie asked as he smacked Blizzard across the jaw, causing him to let go. "GUMAMAMAMAMA! Stupid mutt...don't you know that honey badgers are one of the toughest animals in the world?! They've been known to even attack lions!" He then pinched his skin with his claws. "With my skin all loose like this, it makes it hard for you to get a good grip, don't it?! GUMAMAMAMAMAMAMA!"

Blizzard growled as he stood, spitting out some blood in his mouth.

"Oh, so you're not backing down, eh?" Reggie asked before he cracked his knuckles. "Fine by me...after all, you know what they say about honey badgers: they don't give a damn!"

With that, Blizzard and Reggie lunged at each other, preparing to clash.

 _Flashback_

"I didn't expect to lose, so easily,"

Blizzard said. _"I was such a fool!"  
_  
"At least Aika and Kumi are safe," Luffy said. "...I hope."

"Well done, Reggie," Bill said, causing the honey badger-man to grin as he looked at Desire, who sneered at him.

 _'Who the hell does he think he is, one-upping me like that?!'_ she thought. _'I was gonna win Bill's heart for sure until he showed up with this mangy fleabag.'  
_  
"Ahem!" Bill cleared his throat as he looked to the audience. "Allow me this moment to express my gratitude to all of you!"

"Hey, don't mention it, Bill!" said one of the pirates.

"Yeah!" shouted another. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have gotten this far!"

"We would've all been long dead in the Grand Line, by now!" added a third. "We all appreciate you for taking us all in when we had nobody else to turn to!"

"THANK YOU, BILL~!" they all cheered, causing Bill to chuckle.

"It's been a whole year since we formed the Silver Pirate Alliance," said Bill, "and in that time, we have taken down more than 100 rival pirate groups! Do you know why this is?"

"Tell us, Bill!" shouted a pirate holding a spear.

"Yeah, Bill!" added the other pirates.

"...Let me be frank," Bill answered. "Individually, none of you would've stood a chance out in these seas..."

Hearing that caused everyone to make confused, almost surprised noises.

"However," Bill continued, "when you combine your strength, you become stronger than any other pirate in the world!" He then gestured to Luffy and Blizzard. "Even members of a pirate crew from the Worst Generation are helpless against your combined might!"

"You tell 'em, Bill!" Desire cheered.

"Now, tell me!" Bill shouted as he pointed to a random pirate in the stands. "What is your dream?!"

"I wanna be stronger!" exclaimed the pirate with slicked-back blonde hair.

"Is that all you want?!" Bill asked.

"I wanna live as happy and free as I wanna live!" shouted another pirate with black, curly hair.

"Is that all?!" Bill asked, again.

"I wanna become invincible!" yelled one more pirate, whose eyes were welling up with tears, as were the others.

"And you can, my friends!" exclaimed Bill. "All that and more! If we continue to unite our hearts as one, we can even take out the Four Emperors! Kaido, Big Mom, Red-Haired Shanks, or even Blackbeard, it doesn't matter! If we can combine and defeat all our enemies...WE WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE~!"

"YEAH~!" the pirates cheered.

"So, keep aiming for the top of this Great Pirate Era together with me!" Bill shouted.

"YEEEEAAAAAAHH~!" the pirates cheered once more, while Desire's smile kept growing.

"All right, Bill!"

"We'll follow you to the ends of the world!"

"Yes, Bill!" exclaimed Desire and her squad. "Show us the way to our dreams! Take us all the way to the top!"

As the pirates continued with their revelry, Blizzard only stared at Bill...and almost instantly, the wolf-dog seemed to notice that something was off.

 _'...This guy is lying to all of them,'_ he thought. _'It's just like with Caesar...he's using his charisma to charm them and then take advantage of them, somehow.'  
_  
Luffy only stared in silence while Bill glanced at him and Blizzard.

"Look around you, Straw Hat and White Wolf," he said as he pointed to several odd-looking silver statues...all of them with expressions of agony and fear. "These are more than just some pretty decorations for this auditorium...these are actually the many pirates we have defeated..and soon, you will join them. Your little adventure ends today."

"What makes you so sure?!" Luffy asked.

"Because," Bill said...as his stomach and chest started glowing a hot red, "I ate the Smelt-Smelt Fruit, turning me into a blast furnace-man. My body has become a searing-hot blast furnace! I can melt down ore and turn them into all kinds of things!" He then reached inside his abdomen as he smirked evilly. "Don't worry...I'll turn you both into nice silver statues, befitting of a man and dog worth 500,400,000 combined!" With that, he threw balls of hot metal at Luffy and Blizzard, the latter trying to move up so that he could shield the former with his body...but just as they were about to hit...

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!"

 **BOOM!** The floor suddenly burst open, and out jumped Bartolomeo, wielding his pickax, which he used to knock the balls of hot metal away!

"LUFFY- _SENPAI_ ~! BLIZZARD- _SENPAI_ ~!"

"Chicken Head?!" Luffy questioned.

"Heh!" Bartolomeo smirked as he landed in front of the two Straw Hats. "No way am I gonna let you touch my heroes!"

With that, he held up his pickax and used it to cut off Blizzard's chains, thus freeing him from his bonds.

"Who the hell is this freak?!" Bill questioned.

"Bartolomeo!" Desire barked. "You idiot, you're ruining everything!"

"No way!" Peseta exclaimed in shock. "Did he actually climb his way out of there?!"

"Get them!" Bill ordered, and soon, the pirates came up on stage, attempting to surround Bartolomeo, Luffy, and Blizzard, but the Cannibal and the wolf-dog fought back with all they had. Bartolomeo proved to be quite skilled at using a pickax for a weapon, but as he took a swing at Desire, she used her sword to cut the pikcax in half, rendering it useless!

"So I was right!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "I thought it was you I saw the other night, Desire! I'd recognize that hair of yours, anywhere?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

"And just why is it any of your business, all of a sudden?!" Desire questioned.

"Wait, they know each other?!" Luffy asked.

 _"Apparently!"_ Blizzard replied as he kicked away another pirate.

"Just give Straw Hat and White Wolf back!" Desire ordered as Bill appeared beside her...pulling out two burning hot swords from his body.

"Hehehehe...!" he snickered. "Don't think you can get away, fools!"

He then tried to hit Luffy with his swords, but Blizzard managed to roll him out of the way, but just by a hair, for Bill ended up hitting the side of the ball the Straw Hat Captain was trapped in. Luffy gasped as he saw how the hot blade cut through the side of the ball. If Bill had hit any closer, he would've cut off his arm!

"Gumamama...!" laughed Reggie. "Just give it up! It's over!"

"This is the end for you," added Peseta.

"Dammit," Bartolomeo cursed. "If only I could use my barrier, but my hands are still stuck together!"

Soon, he, Luffy, and Blizzard were surrounded at all sides.

 _"I guess this is the end,"_ Blizzard hissed.

"Not yet, it isn't!" declared Luffy as he used his body to tilt the ball onto its side. "Here I go!"

Soon, he started rolling towards Bill's pirates, bowling over them like a regular bowling ball!

 _"All right, Luffy!"_ Blizzard cheered as he and Bartolomeo ran after him.

"That's my Luffy- _senpai_!" Bartolomeo shouted.

The pirates, in their cowardice, ran as fast as they could up a ramp as Luffy rolled after them, bowling some of them over as he did.

"Even when you look like that, you're so strong!" Bartolomeo declared, but then, all of a sudden, Luffy started to slow down.

"Luffy?!" Blizzard questioned. "Hey, what's wrong?!"

"...I don't...have anymore strength," Luffy answered. "That chocolate bar wasn't enough."

Before long, Blizzard and Bartolomeo found themselves running for their lives as Luffy came rolling back towards them.

 _"YOU IDIOT~!"_ Blizzard yelled as Luffy chased them out through a door, much to the confusion and Desire and her squad.

"...What the hell is his problem?" she asked.

"Rrrrgh...!" Bill growled. "Don't let them get away! Go after them!"

"Right, boss!" Reggie answered. "You heard him, guys! After them!"

"YEAH~!" the pirates shouted as they all ran off, emptying the room.

"Dammit to hell," Bill cursed. "A totally botched execution! How can this day get worse?!"

 **PURU-PURU-PURU! PURU-PURU-PURU!** The Mini Transponder Snail hooked up to Reggie's ear started ringing, causing him to press a button on the shell.

"Yeah, what is it?!" the honey badger-man asked...before his eyes went wide and he gasped. "Oh! Oh...hello, sir. No, no, I wasn't talking about you!"

Bill turned and glared at Reggie, who grinned sheepishly.

"Not to be rude, but aren't you a bit early, sir?" asked Reggie. "Oh, no! This isn't a bad time! I'll send Bill down right away!"

With that, he hung up.

"Who was that?" asked Bill.

"...It's...Kuro Diablo, sir," answered Reggie. "He's here early."

Upon hearing that, Bill's eyes went wide...as if in alarm...before he exhaled.

"I...I see," he said. "Very well. Peseta...do we have it?"

"Yes, Bill," Peseta answered.

"Good," answered Bill. "Let's go, then."

XXX

Concurrently, in another tunnel, Aika and Kumi are seen walking together, the former dragging her pipe along the ground in a dismal manner.

"It's not fair, Kumi," Aika said. "I just started training so I could be stronger like everybody else...so why wouldn't Blizzard let me fight?"  
 _  
"Aika, you've only been in-training for one day,"_ Kumi answered. _"You gotta give it more time than that."  
_  
Just then, Aika gasped as she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. They looked up, only to gasp as they saw Desire and her attack squad approaching.

"Enemies!" Aika exclaimed as she got ready to fight, but then Kumi grabbed her by the back of her shirt and pulled her out of the way. "Hey! Kumi- MMPH!"

 _"Shh~!"_ Kumi whispered. "Just be quiet!"

Soon, Desire and her team got into their Battle Boats.

"Listen up, now!" Desire ordered. "Escaping this fortress is no easy feat, not even for Straw Hat Luffy! Each team, split up and find Straw Hat, White Wolf, and that chicken-headed loser at all costs!"

Aika and Kumi gasped upon hearing that.

"Big Brother?!" the former whispered.

"I'll be taking the lead here!" Desire exclaimed. "Thank you!"

With that, Desire, her team, as well as the other squads in the port revved up their engines and sped off, out into the open to find the escaped fugitives.

"We gotta go after them!" Aika cried. "We can't let them get Big Brother, Blizzard, and Barty!"  
 _  
"But how?!"_ Kumi asked. _"We're not fast enough to catch up to them!"  
_  
Aika looked around, wondering what to do...but then she spotted something in the port: a lone Battle Boat, left unattended. As soon as she saw it...a grin appeared on her face, one that made Kumi feel very nervous.

XXX

Meanwhile, Luffy was being rolled by Blizzard and Bartolomeo until they finally came to a stop.

"Looks like we lost them, for now," Bartolomeo speculated.

"Looks like it, to me," Luffy agreed. "Thanks a lot, Chicken-Head! You saved our butts back there!"

Hearing that caused Bartolomeo to gasp before he broke down in tears of joy.

"I don't deserve such praise coming from you!" he cried. "I, the unworthy Bartolomeo, would go through hell for you, Luffy- _senpai_ and Blizzard- _senpai_!"

 _"Hey, that's my line!"_ Blizzard remarked.

"Ugh..." Luffy groaned. "Moving around in this stupid ball makes me hungry. The only reason I managed to move around a little bit was because of that chocolate that the Chicken-Head Lady gave me."

"Chocolate?" Bartolomeo asked. "Oh, you must mean Desire! Yeah, that girl always loved chocolate. She and I actually go way back, you know!"

"Oh, so you do know her!" Luffy realized.

"Yeah! We grew up on the same island in the East Blue together!" answered Bartolomeo. "We used to cause all kinds of ruckuses when we were little! We both went out to sea separately, but...what she's doing in a place like this and why she's doing all these things is beyond me!" He then shook his head to erase his concern. "No! I can't be thinking about that, now! Our top priority is getting out of this place!"

"But first, we gotta find Aika," Luffy pointed out "She and Kumi could be anywhere in this place!"

"Right!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "Once we find Aika- _senpai_ and Kumi- _senpai_ , THEN we'll escape!"

But then, **KABOOM!** An explosion occurred behind his back, forcing him to look up and see Desire and her attack squad!

"D-Desire!" Bartolomeo stammered.

"Hmph!" Desire scoffed as she chomped on her chocolate bar. "We found you!"

"LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!" Bartolomeo screamed as he and Blizzard ran away while rolling Luffy along in front of them while Desire and her squad gave chase!

"It's no use, Bartolomeo!" shouted Desire. "We're the fastest boat racers in all of the East Blue! You can't outrun us on land or sea!"

Soon, two cannons appeared at the sides of Desire's Battle Boat, which hit the ground near the escaping trio and sent them flying into the air!

"Bartolomeo!" Desire called. "For the sake of our past friendship, I'll ask Bill to spare you if you hand Straw Hat and White Wolf over to us!"

"Are you mad?!" Bartolomeo questioned, although he was stuck to Luffy's silver ball and was being rolled along with it. "Luffy-senpai is the most important person in the world to me! I'd never give him or Blizzard-senpai up!"

"You're still going on about that?!" Desire questioned in comical anger. "In that case, all three of you can go to hell together!"

"Big Sis..." muttered the woman at Desire's right flank.

 **BOOM! BOOM! KABOOM!** She fired more cannonballs at the three, so much so that they could barely dodge!

"Big Sis, you're shooting at them too much!" cried the shorter woman.

"Desire, stop!" Bartolomeo cried. "What are you trying to do, kill me?!"

 **BOOM!** Desire ended up hitting the ground in front of Luffy, Blizzard, and Bartolomeo, causing a chasm to form in front of them.

"We're trapped!" Blizzard shouted as he and Bartolomeo turned to see Desire's attack squad, surrounding them.

"Last chance, Bartolomeo," hissed Desire. "Don't make me do something I'll regret! Give Straw Hat and White Wolf back, NOW!"

"Over my dead body!" Bartolomeo barked.

"...So be it," Desire hissed as she prepared to fire her cannons one more time...but then, **VRRRRRRRRMM~!** They could hear the sound of a roaring engine somewhere behind them.

"Hey, what's that?" asked the stouter woman behind Desire, who looked back, only to gasp upon seeing a Battle Boat, driving up towards them...but it was who was driving that shocked her: Aika, screaming her head off while Kumi clung to her back!

"HELP ME~!" Aika screamed.

"AIKA?!" Luffy and Blizzard questioned.

"HOW DO I STOP THIS THING?!" Aika asked.

"H-hit the brakes!" Desire shouted. "The brakes on the handlebars!"

Aika squeezed the brakes on the handlebars, causing them the Battle Boat to skid along the ground uncontrollably.

"I STILL CAN'T STOOOOOOOOP!" Aika screamed.  
 _  
"WE'RE GONNA DIE~!"_ Kumi howled.

"Oh, no!" Desire cried. "No! STOP! YOU'RE GONNA-"

 **BAM!** Because they were going too fast, Aika too fast on the Battle Boat, they ended up crashing into Desire's Battle Boat, which ended up crashing into Luffy, Blizzard, and Bartolomeo and causing all of them down into the chasm!

"BIG SIS!" cried Desire's attack squad.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH~!" they all screamed as they disappeared into the darkness below.

XXX

Down in a familiar hidden room, Bill is seen, chomping on some ore he had in a bowl next to him while sitting on a throne. As he did...a black jaguar with green eyes, a golden collar, anklets, and a ring on his tail, appeared at his side.

"Well, well, well," said the jaguar...who was actually speaking in the human tongue. "There's quite a ruckus going on out there."

"We had a bit of an...accident," said Bill. "It'll be resolved, soon enough. In the meantime...Peseta!"

"Right!" answered Peseta as he pulled away a tarp, revealing crates of silver bullion. "It's this months latest tribute! Isn't it great?!"

"Oh, my!" answered the jaguar. "There's even more than there was, last month! We appreciate the tons of silver you've been giving to us...and my brother appreciates it, as well."

"Of course, Kuro Diablo," replied Bill. "Give the Monster of the New World my regards, won't you?"

"Naturally," Kuro Diablo grinned.

"And take care of the pirates we captured, as well," added Peseta.

PURU-PURU-PURU! PURU-PURU-PURU! The Mini Transponder Snail in his ear rang, causing him to press the button on the shell.

"Yeah?" he asked. "...Hmm...I see. Understood."

He then hung up.

"What is it, Peseta?" asked Bill.

"Straw Hat, White Wolf, and Desire fell into a chasm, apparently," said Peseta. "What should I do?"

"...Send in Avelon," Bill ordered.

XXX

Inside another tunnel, where a track has been set up...a shadowy figure sits.

"Korokorokoro...roger that. I'll deal with them as you say."

All of a sudden...his hands and feet turned to wheels as they touched the track. A sign on a mine cart strapped to his back appeared, showing the word "Departure" on it, and two headlights turned on.

"Off we go!"

 **FWEET~!** He blew his whistle and rolled off down the track.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

About time I finished this and put this up. I put up on DA in separate parts because the episode itself was so long. Hope it was worth the wait for you guys!

Review, please!


	2. An Underground Maze

**Ch. 2- An Underground Maze**

* * *

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard, Jupiter, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Reggie, and Kuro Diablo © Me

* * *

Previously, our heroes had left Dressrosa and were on their way to their next destination, Zou, to regroup with the other half of their crew. However, during the trip, a fleet of Battle Boats appear during the middle of the night and Luffy and Bartolomeo were captured and taken to an unknown island known as Silver Mine. Blizzard, along with Aika and Kumi, attempted to rescue them, only to be captured himself by Reggie, a honey badger-man. Afterwards, their lives were put in danger by Bill, the leader of the Silver Pirate Alliance. Thanks to the efforts of Bartolomeo, they managed to escape, but are chased by Desire, Bartolomeo's childhood friend. When Aika attempts a rescue of her own, but due to a reckless attempt at riding a Battle Boat, she ends up causing herself as well as Luffy, Blizzard, Kumi, Bartolomeo, and even Desire to fall down into a chasm.

Meanwhile, Bill goes to greet a talking black jaguar known as Kuro Diablo, who had come to collect a tribute of tons of silver from him and bring it back to his brother, the so-called "Monster of the New World". When Bill finds out about Desire's failure to recapture Luffy, he sends in someone to finish the job.

Right now, somewhere underground, there was a pile of rubble, made from when the chasm formed due to Desire's reckless firing earlier. However, soon, the rubble dispersed, revealing Bartolomeo, somehow unharmed. As he shook his head to relieve himself of disorientation, he realized: Luffy, Blizzard, Aika, and Kumi were nowhere to be found!

"GAH!" Bartolomeo cried. "Luffy- _senpai_! Blizzard- _senpai_! Aika- _senpai_ and Kumi- _senpai_! WHERE ARE THEY?!"

That's when he spotted Luffy's straw hat, lying on the edge of an even deeper chasm.

"No!" Bartolomeo cried. "Don't tell me...they fell down even further!" He then began to wail in despair. "I can't believe it! How could this have happened?! No senpai, no life! BWAAAAAAAAAAAH~!"

Just then, **KROOSH!** Another pile of rubble dispersed, revealing Luffy, who is still stuck in the silver ball, and Blizzard, who had Aika and Kumi sheltered underneath him.

"LUFFY- _SENPAI_! BLIZZARD- _SENPAI!_!" Bartolomeo cried happily. "AIKA- _SENPAI_ AND KUMI- _SENPAI_!"

"Whew!" Luffy sighed. "Man, I didn't see that coming!"

 _"That was close,"_ Blizzard added.

"Urgh...!" Desire grunted as she sat up, holding her head. "That hurt...!"

"Oh, Desire," Bartolomeo said. "You're okay, too."

"Like you give a damn," Desire hissed before she spotted her Battle Boat, which was knocked out cold and the machinery was destroyed. "M-my Battle Boat!" She then glanced over at Luffy, who had his hat put back on by Aika.

"Thanks, Aika," Luffy said.

"Uh-huh," Aika answered.

"YOU!" Desire shouted, causing Aika to yelp. "What were you thinking, driving a Battle Boat?! Those things are way too hard for a kid like you to control!"

"I-I was just-" Aika stammered.

"Now step aside!" Desire barked. "I need to take Straw Hat and White Wolf back to Bill! They're way overdue for their execution!"

"No!" Aika shouted as she stood in front of Luffy protectively. "I won't let you kill my Big Brother!"

"W...what?" Desire asked in surprise. "Brother?!"

"That's right!" Bartolomeo answered. "Luffy- _senpai_ is the older half-brother of Aika- _senpai_!"

"...I didn't know that," Desire whispered.

"Another thing!" Bartolomeo shouted as he got up in Desire's face. "You've got a lot of nerve, not only attacking me, but attacking the Straw Hats, too! Where do you get off?!"

"Where I get off?!" Desire questioned. "Screw you!"

As they argued, Luffy and Blizzard looked up, as did Aika and Kumi.

"We sure did fall down deep, didn't we?" Luffy asked.

 _"How are we gonna get outta here?"_ asked Kumi.  
 _  
"I dunno,"_ Blizzard answered. _"What I wanna know is what's up with all these weird tracks all over the ground? They're even on the walls!"  
_  
Blizzard was right: there were indeed railroad tracks all over the cave, even on the walls.

"Why would anybody put railroad tracks on walls?" Aika asked.

XXX

Somewhere in a dark tunnel, the sound of wheels rolling along the track is heard, along with the someone making the sound effect. The headlights on the mine cart cast a shadow on the wall, showing that person using their hands and feet as wheels.

XXX

"Hello?" Desire asked as she tapped on the shell of her Mini Transponder Snail. "This is Desire! Come in! Hello?!"

No response. All she got was interference.

"Crap!" Desire cursed as she threw the earpiece off. "We're so far down, it won't connect!"

"How are we gonna get back up to higher ground?!" asked Bartolomeo.

"How the hell should I know?!" Desire questioned. "I've never been to this part of the mines!"

"What?!" Bartolomeo questioned. "But isn't this your base?!"  
 **  
TOOT-TOOT! TOOOOOT!** Everyone looked up upon hearing the sound of a train whistle blowing somewhere within the cave.

"Where's that coming from?" asked Aika.

"The rail car will be arriving soon," a voice announced, echoing off the walls.

"Rail car?" everyone repeated.

 **TWEET~!** Luffy gasped as he heard another whistle coming from in front of him.

"Something's coming this way!" he shouted, causing everyone to go on the alert.

"Please wait where you are," the mysterious voice spoke before taking on a bit of a darker tone. "Silver Pirate Alliance! I am a tram-man with the power of the Roll-Roll Devil Fruit! The Avelon Express will be arriving soon!"

"What?!" Desire questioned.

"Who is that?!" Bartolomeo asked. "One of your allies, Desire?!"

"This is the first time I've heard of him!" Desire shouted.

Avelon was revealed to be a thickset man with dark green hair and black beard and scruffy mustache. He wears a train conductor's uniform consisting of a blue and orange suit, a green tie, black pants, and a blue and orange conductor's hat. He also had on a golden whistle around his neck, and a treasure chest lid strapped upside down to his back.

"All underground passengers who learn about the underground mineshafts," Aveloft began, "must be eliminated!"

"AAAAH!" Blizzard, Kumi, Bartolomeo, and Desire screamed while Luffy and Aika looked with starry eyes.

"SO COOL~!" they exclaimed, not realizing that Avelon was closing on them and was about to hit them dead on.

 _"LOOK OUT!"_ Blizzard shouted as he pushed the D. Siblings out of the way and dodged Avelon, who was about to run right over Bartolomeo and Desire had they both not leapt out of the way.

"Luffy- _senpai_! Aika- _senpai_!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "Are you two all right?!"

"Ugh! What's the matter with that jerk?!" Luffy shouted.

"Wait!" Desire exclaimed. "Why's he going after me?!"

"Uhh...guys?" Aika asked as she pointed at Avelon, who was rolling towards the wall.

"Turning the car around, now!" he called as he rolled around the tracks on the wall and up on the ceiling, turning right back towards Luffy's group!

"Oh, crap!" Bartolomeo cursed. "Here he comes again!"

"Chicken-Head!" Luffy called. "We gotta get outta here!"

"Roger!" Bartolomeo saluted. "Desire, help me!"

"What?!" Desire asked.

"Wait!" Aika shouted. "Let me fight him!"

"What?!" Luffy questioned. "Absolutely not!"

"But I can take him!" Aika argued.

 _"This is no time to argue!"_ Kumi shouted. "We have to go, now!"

"Increasing speed!" Avelon exclaimed as he started speeding up. "Increasing speed!"

Wasting no time, Blizzard, who is carrying Aika and Kumi in his mouth, Bartolomeo, and Desire started to push the immobile Luffy along the tracks, running with great desperation.

"Put me down!" Aika shouted. "I can fight him! Put me down, I said!"

"For the last time, no!" Luffy argued. "You're not ready to fight anybody!"

"Why not?!" Aika questioned. "You're doing the same thing Blizzard's doing!"

"THIS ISN'T THE TIME FOR ARGUING!" Desire yelled. "WE'RE RUNNING FOR OUR LIVES HERE!"

"Running on the tracks is dangerous," Avelon advised, mockingly. "Please do not rush. Maintain a walking pace."

"LIKE HELL WE WILL!" Blizzard, Bartolomeo, and Desire shouted.

Soon, Avelon's hands morphed back into regular hands again as he reached inside a compartment on his chest lid, and he pulled out two bombs with lit fuses!

 _"AAH!"_ Kumi yelped. _"BOMBS!"_

"Next stop: Rain of Bombs!" Avelon announced as he started pelting the bombs at the group, who cried out in shock as the explosives narrowly missed them!

"Chicken-Head!" Luffy cried. "Use your barrier or something!"

"I can't!" Bartolomeo answered as he held up his hands, which were still covered in birdlime. "With my hands stuck together like this, I can't cross my fingers to make the barrier!"

"Uh-oh!" Aika cried. "He's gonna throw more bombs at us!"

"Please be careful!" Avelon shouted as he threw even more bombs at the group, causing them to scream in terror as the bombs rained down on them, exploding all around until a particular one sent them flying further down the track. Luffy ended up landing on his side, comically squishing Bartolomeo flat while Desire and Blizzard landed on their feet (Blizzard running on his hind paws of course), rolling Luffy along. Aika and Kumi ended up landing on Blizzard's back, clinging for dear life. Eventually, Bartolomeo got free and started running along the ball, as well.

"Ball rolling is strictly prohibited on the train tracks," said Avelon, who tossed more bombs at them, only to miss once again. However, this only made Blizzard, Bartolomeo, and Desire run faster, but as they did, they saw something that only made their blood run cold.

"GAAAAAAAAH!" Bartolomeo screamed. "I DON'T SEE A TRACK UP AHEAD!"

"I sense something coming, though!" Aika cried. "You might wanna get ready a drop!"

"OH, CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!" Blizzard, Bartolomeo, and Desire cursed, and before too long, they dropped down a steep incline, causing them to shriek as they began to roll faster and faster, jumping off ramps and making sharp turns, avoiding Avelon's bombs all the while.

"WHEEEEEEEEEEE~!" Aika cheered.

"AAAAAAAAH!" Luffy screamed, his eyes swirling dizzily from all the spinning. "PLEASE STOP THE BALL! I'M GONNA BE SICK!"  
 _  
"THAT MAKES TWO OF US!"_ Blizzard shouted.

 _"WE'RE GONNA DIE, WE'RE GONNA DIE, WE'RE GONNA DIE, WE'RE GONNA DIE~!"_ Kumi cried, comical tears and snot coming out of her eyes.

Bartolomeo looked back and saw that Avelon was still in hot pursuit of them!

"Dammit!" Bartolomeo cursed. "Doesn't he know when to give up?!"

"Incoming!" called Desire. "Fork in the tracks, up ahead!"

"What?!" Bartolomeo questioned as he looked ahead and saw a fork in the tracks, one going left, the other going right. "Dammit! Which way do we go?!"

"We don't have time to think about it!" Desire shouted. "Just go right!"

"You sure about that?!" inquired Bartolomeo, skeptically.

"Chicken-Head! Go right!" Luffy cried, still dizzy from the rolling.

"Roger that!" Bartolomeo saluted, once again.

"SCREW YOU, YOU BASTARD!" Desire shouted.

On that, the group quickly turned and rolled into the right tunnel, while Avelon grinned and snickered evilly.

"Next stop...is hell," he said. "The right turn goes directly to hell!"

XXX

Up ahead with Luffy's group, they gasped as they saw a sign with a skull and crossbones on it...and beyond that, there was no more track!

"NOT GOOD!" Bartolomeo and Desire cried.  
 _  
"LUFFY, STOP!"_ Blizzard shouted.

"I can't!" Luffy answered. "You guys have to stop me!"

"How do we do that?!" asked Aika.

 _"WE CAN'T, THAT'S HOW!"_ Kumi yelled.

SMASH! The ball ended up smashing right through the sign, sending the group flying right off the track and towards the abyss below!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Luffy and Blizzard howled, the former holding onto the latter's silver ball.

"MOMMY~!" Aika and Kumi wailed, holding onto each other for dear life.

"GRANNY!" Bartolomeo screamed. "WHAT SHOULD I DO AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!"

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" hollered Desire, before finally, KRASH! They all ended up falling right to the bottom, forming a giant cloud of dust.

Up above, Avelon looked down at the spot where they fell, and as he did, he heard his Mini Transponder Snail earpiece ring.

 **"Avelon...how are Straw Hat and the others doing?"** asked Bill.

"They fell down to the lower level," answered Avelon.

 **"Make sure that they're all dead."  
**  
"Understood."

With that, Avelon rolled away to find another way down.

XXX

Meanwhile, in Bill's throne room, Kuro Diablo had left, and as Bill had hung up his Transponder Snail, Desire's attack squad came rushing in.

"Master Bill!" cried the purple-haired woman. "Master Bill! Big Sis Desire...she fell down a chasm while chasing Straw Hat! Some little girl came riding on a Battle Boat and crashed into her!"

"Hey, hey, calm down!" Bill said as he put his hands on her shoulders in a reassuring manner. "Take it easy...it'll be okay. I promise, I'll have someone bring Desire back to all of you, safe and sound."

"...Thank you, Master Bill...!" whispered the purple-haired woman before she and the rest of the squad fell to their knees, crying in relief.

"There, there," Bill comforted them. "Don't worry...after all, Desire is a very important friend of mine. I'd be lost without her!"

As he said this, however, the girls failed to notice...the wicked grin he had on his face.

XXX

Down in the mine shafts, it was revealed Luffy, Blizzard, Aika, Kumi, Bartolomeo, and Desire had somehow survived their fall.

"You guys all right?!" Luffy asked.

 _"More or less,"_ Blizzard groaned.

"Why did you stop me?" Aika asked. "I could've taken him, you know!"

 _"Oh, enough already!_ " Kumi shouted. _"Stop with that, will you?!"  
_  
"I thought I was gonna bite the dust, for sure," Desire spoke up.

"Hey, Desire, get off my back, will ya?" Bartolomeo asked. "You're really heavy!"

Desire grunted as she got to her feet, as did Bartolomeo.

"You told me to go right, so I-" the Cannibal started, only for Desire to cut him off.

"That wasn't me!" Desire barked. "Straw Hat told you to do that!"

 **FWEET~!** Everyone gasped upon hearing a familiar whistling.

"Warning: downgrade ahead! Repeat, downgrade ahead! Please stay where you are~!"

"Dammit, that psycho's on his way down here!" cursed Bartolomeo.

 _"Luffy, we gotta get outta here!"_ Blizzard said.

"I know," Luffy answered. "Damn this stupid silver ball! I don't have enough energy, so I can't break through it!"

"Hmph!" Desire scoffed. "As if Bill's creation could be broken so easily by the likes of you!"

"That 'Bill' guy is the same person who sent that whack-job to kill us, including you!" shouted Bartolomeo.

"Bill would never do that!" Desire rebuked.

"Bill this and Bill that!" Bartolomeo barked. "What are you, his puppet?! Why don't you think for yourself for a change and take a look at the situation you're in!"

"Like you have any right to say that, you traitor!" retorted Desire.

"Traitor?" Aika repeated. "You mean Barty?"

"What are you talking about?!" questioned Bartolomeo. "I didn't do anything to you!"

"Oh, no?" Desire inquired. "Years ago, we promised to aim for the top together! But then, you go on spouting how you wanted to help Straw Hat here become the next Pirate King!"

"What?!" Bartolomeo asked.

"That's why I set out to sea with my friends!" Desire shouted. "We formed the Sweet Pirates, the fastest boat riders in the East Blue!"

"Well, if that's true," Bartolomeo started, "then what happened to all of them?!"

Desire gritted her teeth and turned away...clenching her hands into fists.

"Like you'd care," she hissed.

"That's not true!" Bartolomeo replied. "I always cared about you, Desire! We go way back, you know!"

A pause...but then, Desire growled in her throat, clenching her fists even tighter, and chewing her lip so hard...that a tiny bit of blood came out.

"...They're...they're gone...!" she whispered, bitterly.

"Gone?" Bartolomeo asked.

"What happened to them?" Aika inquired, worriedly.

"...I once lost...almost everything that I had," Desire answered, causing everyone to gasp. "We were out in the Grand Line, sailing together...but then...we were ambushed! The fog was so thick, I couldn't see who attacked us! All I could hear was cannon-fire...and my crew screaming as our boats were destroyed! Only I and three others remained...and I thought for sure that was going to be the end of me...but then...he came and saved us."

"He?" Luffy repeated. "Oh, you mean Bill, right?"

"Yes, Bill!" Desire answered with a blush on her face. "He was like a godsend from the heavens...he took my hand...and my heart...!"

 _'Oh, no,'_ Blizzard thought. _'Don't tell me she's actually fallen for this maniac!'  
_  
"Despite this...I felt like I had lost everything I had," Desire continued, "but Bill inspired me again! He even gave me and my remaining crew members Battle Boats to use! He told me...that if we work as one, there was no dream we couldn't accomplish! I finally met someone who shared my ideals...and not just me, but all the other pirates in this fortress, too!"

"So you came after Luffy- _senpai_ to please him?!" asked Bartolomeo.

"...Well, I'm not sure if I can do it, now," said Desire...before she glanced down at Aika. "I mean...capturing a big-name pirate is one thing...but I can't take away someone's older sibling."

Aika smiled at this.

"I think, just this once," Desire began, "I'll turn a blind eye...for her sake."

"Thank you, Miss Desire!" Aika answered as she ran up to hug her, causing Desire to blush a bit.

"I get it now," Luffy spoke up. "You've only been doing this because you wanted to work hard for your crew, just like us, right?"

"Hmph!" Desire scoffed. "As if your praise makes me happy!"

"I still say this Bill guy is suspicious to me," shrugged Bartolomeo.

"Well I still say he's way cooler than you or Straw Hat!" Desire barked.

Just then, Blizzard growled as he heard footsteps nearby, causing the group turn and see some men wearing mining uniforms and holding pickaxes and lanterns.

"Hey," said one of them. "What are y'all doin' down here?"

"And just who the hell are you guys, huh?!" Bartolomeo questioned.

"You come to pick a fight?!" Aika asked, holding her pipe staff. "Then bring it on!"

"No, Aika!" Luffy and Blizzard ordered, the latter holding her back.

"OH, COME ON!" Aika complained.

"...You there," said the one in the blue bandanna. "Did Bill do that to you?"

"Huh?" Luffy asked. "You talking to me?"

"Come with us," said another man wearing an orange bandanna. "Maybe we can help you."

"Help us?" Bartolomeo asked.

"Just follow us," said the blue-bandanna man. "We'll explain everything."

"...I think we can trust them," Aika spoke up.

"If my sister trusts you guys, then I will, too," Luffy answered.

"And if Luffy-senpai trusts you, then so will I!" Bartolomeo added.

Blizzard and Kumi barked in agreement, and that only left Desire, who sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Follow us, then," said the man in goggles before they all walked off, with Blizzard and Bartolomeo rolling Luffy along the ground. As they did, however...they didn't notice that a shadowy figure was watching them from behind with a toothy smirk.

"Avelon...it's Reggie...I know where Straw Hat, White Wolf, and that other one is going...and we can get rid of Desire to boot."

XXX

Somewhere underground, there were many structures, almost like houses of some sort, and molten liquid being dumped into a giant boiler. Inside of the houses, Bartolomeo is sitting on a stool while someone set down a bucket in front of him.

"Will this work?" asked one of the miners from before.

"Yeah!" Bartolomeo answered. "Thanks a lot!"

The miner poured a lot of hot water into the bucket, which Bartolomeo dunked his hands in, only to yelp in pain at how scalding hot it was.

"Ah, crap!" the Cannibal cried. "Too hot!"

"Oh, sorry about that!" said the miner.

"No worries," Bartolomeo answered, the birdlime melting off his hands. "Besides, it's working!" With that, he dipped his hands into the water again.

"Granny used to say something like that would help for sticky hands, didn't she?" asked Desire.

"You mean you know Chicken-Head's Granny, too?" asked Luffy.

"Of course I do!" Desire answered, almost proudly. "There's almost nothing Granny doesn't know!"

 **KLANG! KLANG!** A miner tried to hit the silver ball that Luffy was trapped in with a mallet, but it wouldn't even make a dent.

"This is definitely Bill's work, all right," he said.

"You mean you can't break it, either?" Luffy asked.

"Afraid not," said the miner. "Sorry, friend."

"Were you guys dropped down here, too?" asked the miner in the orange headband.

"What do you mean by 'too'?" Desire inquired. "Who are you guys, anyway?"

"And what is this place?" Aika asked.

"You mean you don't know?" asked another miner. "Silver Mine is certainly a rich mine, and right now, we're in its underground mine shafts...we're some of the former members of the Silver Pirate Alliance."

"F-former?!" Desire asked, almost in shock. "How did that happen?!"

"Bill lied to us all," said one of them. "We were told that he would never disappointed in us, no matter what we did...but it turns out that wasn't the case. No matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't meet Bill's expectations. Those who don't bring him enough treasure or fail to capture a pirate with a high enough bounty...they get sent down to mine for ore until the day we die."

"I don't believe it!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "How dare that bastard abandon his comrades! It's absolutely sickening!"

 _"I knew he was nothing but talk,"_ Blizzard hissed. _"That Bill guy just plays everybody for fools!"_

"He ought to be tarred and feathered!"

Kumi added.

As for Desire, she seethed angrily, clenching her fists and screwing her eyes shut in disbelief as she thought to the day Bill rescued her.

"LIES!" she shouted. "There's no way Bill would ever do that to his comrades!"

"I know it's hard to believe, miss," said the miner in the blue bandanna, "but it's the truth."

Unable to accept it, Desire chewed her lip...and sniffled before she ran out, causing Aika and Kumi to gasp.

"Wait!" Aika called out as she and Kumi ran after her. "Miss Desire, come back!"

"Hey," Luffy spoke up. "Isn't there any way for us to get out of here?"

"Those railroad tracks are our only exit," answered the miner with goggles. "Every time we tried to use it, though, Reggie and Avelon notice right away. Many have tried...but none have succeeded...so it's best that we just give up."

XXX

Outside, Desire ran out into the giant chamber until she finally stopped to collect her thoughts.

 _'It has to be a lie,'_ she thought. _'There's no way that Bill would ever forsake his comrades...would he?'  
_  
"Miss Desire!" Aika called as she and Kumi caught up. "Are you okay?"

"Butt out," Desire replied. "I don't want any pity."

"I'm not here to pity you," Aika answered. "I just wanted to see if you were all right."

"...What do you think?" Desire asked.

"...Maybe it's a different Bill...?" Aika inquired, attempting to reassure her.

"There's only one Bill that I know, kid!" Desire barked. "...It certainly be the man that THOSE people described...the man who rescued me."

Before Aika could speak, more, **BZZZZZZTT! BZZZZZZTT!** An alarm suddenly rang out, echoing through the mine shafts.

XXX

Back inside the miners' house, everyone looked up upon hearing that buzzing.

"What the-?!" Luffy questioned.

"What's with that alarm?!" Bartolomeo asked.

"Luffy, the girls went out there!" Blizzard cried.

XXX

"The Limited Avelon Express will be arriving soon!" a voice called out. "Please stand by!"  
 _  
"Oh, no!"_ Kumi cried. _"Not again! Aika, we gotta hide!"_

"No way!" Aika shouted as she grabbed her pipe. "I'm not running!"

 _"Darn it, Aika, what's wrong with you?!"_ Kumi questioned. _"Why are you trying so hard to fight someone when you know you can't take them?!"  
_  
"I can too!" Aika barked.

"Hold it, kid," said Desire as she pulled Aika out of the way.

"Hey!" Aika cried. "What are you-"

"Avelon's mine," Desire answered. "Go back to your brother."

Aika only glared at Desire, who stood right in front of the tracks...just as Avelon had appeared. The tram-man looked around the mine shaft before he finally noticed the female pirate and smirked.

"Target sighted," he smirked as he rolled passed a few miners and pulled out a bomb from his cart. "Mind the bombs, again, won't you please?!"

He then tossed the bomb at Aika, Kumi, and Desire, who all yelped as they dodged. At that moment, Luffy, Blizzard, Bartolomeo, and the miners had appeared.

"It's Avelon!" exclaimed the one in the goggles.

"What?!" Bartolomeo questioned as he dunked his hands in the hot water again. "Oh, man, I gotta hurry and get this stuff off!"

At that moment, Desire and Avelon confronted each other, staring each other down with the utmost fury.

"Avelon," Desire spoke. "Is it true? Did Bill really order you to kill me?!"

"...Yes," Avelon smirked, "he did."

Upon hearing that, Desire gasped before she growled.

"I see," she hissed as she drew her weapon, and with a loud battle cry, she lunged at him while Avelon pelted bombs at her. However, due to her fast reflexes, Desire was able to deflect them with ease, causing the bombs to explode through the mine shaft colony.

"Not good!" cried a spiky-haired miner. "Avelon's going crazy!"

"Rain of Bombs! RAIN OF BOMBS!" Avelon shouted, chucking bombs all over the place, but still, Desire deflected them...and one of them ended up flying towards Luffy's group.  
 _  
"OH CRAP!"_ Blizzard cried.

"FINALLY!" Bartolomeo exclaimed as he held up his hands. "My hands are free at last-"

But before he could put up his barrier, **KABOOM!** The bomb exploding, scattering the group!

"OOF!" Bartolomeo cried as he lied on the ground. "Unh...that hurt...!" He then sat up and called out "Hey! You guys all right?!"

"Ugh...!" a miner groaned. "More or less!"

 _"Girls?"_ Blizzard asked as he looked around. _"Where are you?"  
_  
"We're over here!" called Aika, standing next to one of the houses with Kumi.

 _"And we're okay!"_ Kumi added.

 _"Oh, good,"_ Blizzard answered. _"Where's Luffy?"_

"Uh...little help?"

Blizzard turned to see Luffy, sitting in the middle of the tracks...right in front of Avelon!

"There you are, Straw Hat!" Avelon exclaimed as he sped towards him.

"Hey! Come back here!" shouted Desire.

"Luffy!" Blizzard cried as he ran to help him.

"With this special drill that Bill made," Avelon started as he pulled out a long drill from his cart, "prepare for...STRAW HAT IMPALEMENT!"

"Oh, no!" Bartolomeo cried.

"Big Brother, look out!" Aika yelled.

"I can't look!" Kumi said as she covered her eyes. "Just tell me when it's over!"

"DIE STRAW HAT~!" Avelon shouted, and then, KSHUNK! The drill stabbed right through the silver ball!

"NO!" cried Aika in horror.

Blizzard, Kumi, Desire, and the miners gasped...while Avelon grinned, thinking he had successfully impaled Luffy. Bartolomeo's breath hitched as tears formed in his eyes...before he finally sobbed in despair.

"LUFFY- _SENPAI_ ~!" he howled...but then, Luffy gave a smirk of his own.

KRIK-KRAAAAAAAK! The ball cracked...until it shattered completely, causing Luffy to go flying out!

"YES!" he cheered. "I'M FREE~!"

"BIG BROTHER!" Aika cheered, also.

"Oh, thank goodness...!" Bartolomeo said in relief.

"What?!" Avelon questioned. "But how is that possible?!"

"Where the hell were you aiming, anyway?" Luffy asked. "You went right beneath my feet!"

"HUH?!" Avelon muttered in shock.

 **THOOM!** Luffy landed in front of the tram-man, punching a fist into his palm.

"I'm not holding anything back, now," he said. "Let's do this, Tram Guy!"

Avelon growled before he reached into his cart, pulling out various firearms and attaching them to his body.

"Switching to Avelon Hyper Special Express!" he declared, holding up a giant silver mallet. "Off we go!"

With that, he and Luffy charged at each other, the latter stretching his arms way back behind his head!

"Now Gum-GUUUUUUM...HAMMER~!" Luffy shouted as he put his fists together and slammed them onto Avelon's mallet, shattering it into pieces.

"...A...Amazing...!" Desire whispered in surprise.

"Way to go, Luffy-senpai!" Bartolomeo cheered.

"Wait! I can help, too-" Aika called out, only for Blizzard grab her by the back of her shirt. "Blizzard! Stop it!"  
 _  
"YOU stop it!"_ Blizzard yelled. _"You keep this up, and you can forget about having cookies for dessert later!"  
_  
At that moment, Avelon turned to face Luffy, who had sent himself flying into the air after using his earlier attack. **BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG!** He fired his cannons at Luffy, who smirked, having seen the projectiles coming.

"Gear...SECOND!" the Straw Hat Captain shouted as he pumped blood throughout his body. "GUM-GUUUUUUUM...JET GATLING~!"

With a flurry of punches, Luffy sent the cannonballs right back at Avelon, who screamed in shock as he came under fire from his own artillery. The resulting explosion was enough to send him flying, to everyone's awe. The explosion also destroyed his cannons, thus rendering them, as well as himself, useless.

"I don't believe it!" exclaimed one of the miners. "He actually did it!"

At that moment, Luffy landed on the ground, the effects of Gear Second wearing off. However, Avelon growled as he got up...and rolled away.

"Now heading into the garage!" he announced as he rolled out into a tunnel.

"Hey! He's getting away!" Luffy shouted.

"Luffy, quick!" Blizzard called as he ran to his side. "Get on my back! If we hurry, we can still catch him!"

"Good idea!" Luffy answered as he got on the wolf-dog's back.

"Wait! I'm coming, too!" Aika said. "Please, Big Brother! I can help, too!"

"No, you can't, Aika!" Luffy argued. "There's only a limit to what you can do!"

"But...but I-" Aika stammered.

"Just stay here and wait for us to come back!" Luffy ordered. "That's an order!"

Aika gasped silently...only to glare at Luffy, who responded with a glare of his own.

"Blizzard! Let's ride!" Luffy ordered, causing Blizzard to run to the direction that Avelon went off in.

"Hang on, Luffy- _senpai_! Blizzard- _senpai_!" called Bartolomeo. "Wait for me!"

Desire only stared off after Luffy, still awestruck at his amazing physical prowess...but then she gasped as she heard Aika seething.

"Huh?" she muttered as she looked at the 6-year-old. "Hey, kid, you all right?"

"...I'll show him...!" Aika hissed as she turned and ran off into a different tunnel. "I'LL SHOW HIM!"

 _"W-wait, Aika!"_ Kumi cried as she ran off after her. _"Come back, Aika! Come back!"  
_  
XXX

Meanwhile, in a separate tunnel, Avelon is rolling down the tracks, sighing in relief due to thinking that he had lost Luffy...or so he thought. The next thing he knew, he looked up and saw a familiar grinning face pull up next to him.

"Hi!" Luffy greeted, cheekily as Blizzard ran alongside the tram-man, much to Avelon's fright.

"Stand by for track change!" cried Avelon as he made a sharp turn, dumping some bombs out of his cart as he did.

"Hey!" Luffy shouted. "Get back here! After him, Blizzard! Hurry!"

"I can't turn on a dime, you know!" Blizzard replied as he ran after Avelon, who rolled away as fast as he could.

"Get back here!" Luffy called out as he unleashed a Gum-Gum Gatling, narrowly missing the tram-man and hitting the wall in front of him.

"Stand by for track change!" announced Avelon as he made another sharp turn, dumping more bombs as he did, and Blizzard still tried to keep pace with him.

"Dammit! What a pain in the ass this guy is!" Luffy cursed.

"Luffy-senpai! Blizzard-senpai!"

Luffy and Blizzard turned to see Bartolomeo following after them.

"Chicken-Head?" Luffy asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Just leave this to me!" Bartolomeo exclaimed as he crossed his fingers. "Barrier Ability!"

Soon, a long, slide-like barrier appeared beneath Avelon's wheels, creating a curve that pointed up into the air.

"GAH!" Avelon yelped as he tried to hit the brakes. "Track change! Track change! TRACK CHANGE!"

 **WOOSH!** Due to being unable to stop, Avelon ended up getting sent flying into the air!

"No I can't~!" he cried.

"Luffy! Now's your chance!" Blizzard declared as Luffy jumped off his back and over Avelon, going Gear Second once more.

"Gum-Gum...JET BAZOOKA~!" Luffy roared as he slammed Avelon with both barrels, sending him ricocheting off the walls. Blizzard and Bartolomeo yelped as they dodged in the nick of time, and as Avelon bounced around the walls, he accidentally hit the bombs that he had dumped on the ground, once again getting hit with his own weapons. It wasn't too long before he ended up landing back in the mine shaft colony, once more, bumps all over his head and bruised all over. The miners were in such disbelief, they came to see for themselves.

"No way!"

"I can't believe they actually took down Avelon!"

"Such strength!"

 **DING!** The sign on Avelon's cart went from "Avelon Express" to "Terminal Station".

"Check it out!" Luffy exclaimed as he, Blizzard, and Bartolomeo appeared. "I finally took care of the Tram Guy!"

"I can't believe I got to fight alongside Luffy-senpai!" Bartolomeo spoke up. "Such bliss!"

 _"LUFFY!"  
_  
Everyone looked up to see Kumi running up to them.

 _"Luffy!"_ Kumi cried. "It's Aika! She ran off somewhere, and I can't find her!"

"What?!" Luffy questioned. "Why would she run off?!"

"I-I dunno!" Kumi answered. "She was yelling something having something to prove! I don't know what she was talking about!"

"...I think I do," Blizzard replied, worriedly.

"So do I," Luffy agreed, just as worried, if not more so. "We gotta find Aika before it's too late!"

"I'll help you!" Desire answered.

"Huh?" Bartolomeo muttered. "What's gotten into you, Desire?"

"Shut up!" Desire barked. "I'm only doing this on some whim, that's all! Now let's hurry up and find the kid already!"

XXX

Concurrently, in a different tunnel, Aika walked along the railroad tracks, dragging her pipe along on the ground...with a dismal expression on her face.

"They just don't understand," she said. "I can be just as strong as they are...and I can prove it, too!"

A pause...but then the 6-year-old D. Carrier sniffled and wiped her eyes.

"...Besides...if I don't prove it," she whispered, "Big Brother will get rid of me...!"

"Aww, what's with the waterworks, Li'l Lady?"

Aika gasped as she turned around...and saw Reggie towering over her, a malicious grin on his honey badger face.

"You...!" Aika whispered.

"Gumamama...!" Reggie snickered. "So...you're looking for someone to fight, are ya? Well...I'll give you one."

XXX

"Avelon! Avelon, come in!"

"What's going on, Peseta?"

"Avelon's not picking up...sounds like he failed."

Bill growled as he sat on his throne, munching on some more ore.

(A/N: That rhymes! XD)

"If Straw Hat and all those other people get up here," Peseta began, "we'll be in for a disaster unless Reggie takes care of them!"

"...I'm not taking chances," Bill answered...a wicked grin appearing on his face. "In that case...we'll just have to bury them all!"

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

Review, please!


	3. The Sword Technique Heats Up!

**Ch. 3- The Sword Technique Heats Up!**

* * *

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard, Jupiter, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Reggie, and Kuro Diablo © Me

* * *

Last time, our heroes fell down an underground cavern, where Desire tells Luffy about how Bartolomeo "betrayed" her and how she lost most of her crew and met Bill, who had sent one of his henchmen, Avelon the tram-man, to annihilate the two super rookies, along with Desire herself. After being chased throughout the mines, Desire learns the truth about Bill's alliance: those he deems useless are sent down to the mines to dig for ore until the day they die. Soon after, Avelon appears, only to unintentionally free Luffy from the silver ball he was trapped in. Together with Blizzard and Bartolomeo, Luffy manages to defeat Avelon and plans to make an escape with everyone out of the mines. However, there's one problem: Aika, frustrated with Luffy and Blizzard being overprotective ways, tries to find an opponent of her own to fight under the pretense that Luffy will get rid of her if she can't win, not realizing that she is not ready. She soon gets her wish when she is confronted by Reggie, the honey-badger man.

Now, Aika found herself standing before Reggie, who towered over her with an evil, toothy grin. As she stared up at him, her knees shook, and her heart pounded in her chest.

"What's the matter?" Reggie asked. "I thought you wanted a fight...you're not scared, are ya?"

"N-n-n-no, I'm n-n-n-n-not!" Aika stammered, trying to sound determined.

"Gumamamama!" laughed Reggie. "Well? What are you waiting for? Draw your weapon."

Aika gulped before she shakily reached behind her back and brandished her pipe while Reggie drew his nodachi.

"Don't blink, kid," the honey badger man said as he swung down, forcing Aika to hold up her pipe as he brought the blade down on her. She growled as she tried to force Reggie back, but the more pressure the honey badger man applied, the more Aika found herself getting forced down on her knees. Then... **KRAK!** The blade cut right through the pipe like a hot knife through butter, to Aika's shock.

(A/N: Please don't hate me for this next part.)

"...Oh, no...!" Aika squeaked.

"Well? What else you got?" Reggie asked before he swung his sword at her again, only for Aika to dodge. She soon morphed into her Wolf Form and ducked under Reggie's legs, trying to get away, but she was soon grabbed by his large claws and thrown against a wall, causing her to cry out in pain. Then, Reggie picked her up by her throat, causing her to gag.

"GUMAMAMAMAMAMA!" he laughed. "Is this really the best you can do?! Straw Hat must be desperate if he's willing to recruit wet-behind-the-ears brats like you!"

"Guh...ugh...!" Aika gagged out as she struggled to get Reggie to let go.

"Lemme let you in on somethin', kid," Reggie said. "You're in the wrong place. You should be at home, helpin' your mommy in the kitchen, makin' cookies! What do you think this is, preschool?!"

Aika growled, baring her fangs at the honey badger man.

"Ooh, showin' your teeth, are ya?" Reggie asked. "I'm shiverin'!"

 **BAM!** He slammed Aika into the wall of the tunnel, causing her to cry out again.

"You really got your clouds, don't ya?!" Reggie questioned. "Well guess what, kid! I'm about to bring ya back down to reality!"

 **WHAM! THWACK!** He threw Aika down to the ground, then stomped his foot against her head, grinding the sole against her face.

"Get off me...!" Aika grunted. "Just wait...until you see...what I can do-"

"Oh, please!" Reggie rebuked. "All I see is some pathetic little piece of crap who thinks she can take on anybody, but in reality, you are nothing more THAN A WEAK LITTLE PUP!"

Aika gasped silently, while Reggie smirked, thinking he had won.

"Finally givin' up, eh?" he asked as he raised his head. "Good...at least you get to realize that before you-"

 **CHOMP!** Without warning, Aika suddenly leapt up and clamped her jaws on his nose, causing him to scream in pain before he managed to pry her off. Once he did, he held his bleeding nose before he glanced over at the Honshu Wolf girl...whose eyes were hooded under the bangs of her hair. Then...she raised her head up, revealing her glowing red eyes and blood dripping from her snarling mouth.

"W...w...what the hell...?!" Reggie whispered in horror.

XXX

"AIKA~!" Luffy called out as he walked through the tunnel with Blizzard, Kumi, Bartolomeo, Desire, and the miners. "AIKA, WHERE ARE YOU~?!"

 _"AIKA~!"_ Blizzard called. _"PLEASE, COME OUT!"_

 _"Where could she be?!"_ Kumi asked. _"She just ran off without telling me where! This isn't like her!"_

 _"Kumi, didn't you say that Aika said something about proving something to us?"_ Blizzard asked.

 _"Yeah, but...I don't know what she meant by that!"_ Kumi answered.

"Well, I do," Luffy answered, "and I'm gonna talk to her about it once we've found her...I just hope she's okay."

"...Your sister," Desire spoke up, "she's just a kid, right? If that's the case, why do you have in your crew, anyway? You could've just let the Marines take her."

"Look, I didn't know she was my sister until after I met her," Luffy answered. "Besides...I had to take her in. She hates Marines...especially after...what they did to her."

"What do you mean?" asked Desire, concerned.

"...Have you ever heard of something called the Buster Call?" Luffy asked.

"Who hasn't?" Desire asked. "Wait...why?"

"...That's how Aika lost her home," Luffy replied, sadly, "and her mom, too. They were trying to kill Aika, just because we have the same Dad."

"What?!" Desire questioned. "But...that's not fair! She's just a child! They can't persecute her for that!"

"Well, they did it anyway!" Luffy barked. "Now, because of them...Aika's out here in this dangerous world. The one thing I'm afraid of is her growing up too fast...that's why I'm trying to train her, so she'll at least have a bit of a chance...but now, I'm starting to think maybe I'm wrong."

"Luffy- _senpai_...!" Bartolomeo whimpered, tearfully, as did the rest of the miners.

"...You know, Straw Hat," Desire began, "I think maybe, just maybe, you might selling yourself short, just a bit."

"Huh?" Luffy muttered.

"It's not easy, being an older sibling, you know," Desire answered. "I can tell you're new to this: having to take care of somebody who's younger than you are. At first, you might think it's fun...but then you start to realize the responsibilities that come with it. It's not really much different from being captain of a pirate crew."

"...I guess," Luffy answered.

"But I can tell that Aika really looks up to you," Desire said with a smile. "Don't worry too much, got that?"

"...Thanks, Chicken Head Lady," Luffy smiled.

"It's Desire," Desire corrected, "and you're welcome."

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

The miners gasped upon hearing that scream.

"Holy crap! I recognize that voice!" said one of them. "It's Reggie!"

"He must be on his way to kill us all!" added another.

"Wait a minute!" called out one more. "That scream...Reggie sounds like he's...scared or something!"

 _"...Scared of what?"_ Blizzard asked.

Before long, Reggie appeared, running on all fours, panting heavily as he glanced back, his nose and his right temple bleeding.

"Get her away from me!" she cried. "She's a monster! A MONSTER, I TELL YA!"

"A monster?!" Luffy questioned...only to gasp as he saw what Reggie was running from: Aika, who was in full Berserker Mode. "A-Aika?!"

"What the hell?!" Desire questioned. "Since when can she do that?!"

"I don't know!" Luffy answered.

 _"Oh, no...!"_ Kumi whispered in horror. _"Not again!"_

With a loud growl, Aika leapt at Reggie and bit down on his other ear, causing him to scream in pain as he tried to shake her off.

"Let go, ya crazy little bitch!" he shouted. "Let go! LET GO~!"

"Aika, stop!" Luffy cried as he ran over to her and tried to pull Aika off. "Let him go!"

"Luffy, no!" Blizzard shouted. "Don't go near her!"

 **CHOMP!** Without a single warning, Aika turned and bit Luffy on the wrist, causing him to grunt in pain as blood dripped from the bite. Aika growled as she applied more pressure to the bite, a crazed look in her red eyes, and Luffy could stare in shock. This...beast that he was looking at...was not his sister.

"Aika...!" he whispered, almost sadly.

All of a sudden, Aika seemed to gasp before her eyes stopped glowing...and then, she sighed as she fell unconscious, causing herself to loosen her grip on Luffy's wrist. The older D. Carrier gasped as he almost dropped her, but then gently cradled her in his arms. It was at that moment he saw the bruises on her fur.

"...What the hell happened to you...?!" Luffy whispered.

"LUFFY- _SENPAI_!" Bartolomeo shouted. "LOOK OUT!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGH!" roared Reggie as he opened up his claws and tried to slash Luffy with them, but then, a barrier was erected in front of him, shielding him from the attack.

"Thanks, Chicken-Head!" Luffy called.

"Of course!" Bartolomeo answered.

Then, **THWAM!** Blizzard tackled the honey badger-man to the ground.

 _"Luffy! You and the others go on ahead!"_ the wolf-dog called. _"Just leave this guy to me! I'll catch up later!"_

"Give it your all!" Luffy answered before he ran off, carrying Aika as he did. "C'mon, guys! We're blowing this pop stand!"

"We'll show you a way out!" called one of the miners. "Follow us!"

With that, Luffy, Kumi, Bartolomeo, Desire, and the miners ran off, leaving Blizzard to face Reggie alone.

"Ya really wanna take me on, again, White Wolf?" Reggie asked, wiping his paw against his bloody nose. "We both know how the last fight ended...you really wanna go through that again?"

Blizzard growled viciously, baring his fangs for all to see.

"I guess I have my answer," answered Reggie as he drew his sword.

XXX

As Blizzard busy fighting with Reggie, Luffy and his group had found a way out of the mines: a dilapidated old railroad track that goes all the way upwards.

"So is this the only way out?" Luffy asked, holding the still unconscious Aika in his arms.

"That's right," answered one of the miners. "This one goes highest, and they used to use it for carrying out ore. Now, we don't where it goes!"

"So it looks like we'll have to leave the rest to chance, right, Luffy- _senpai_?!" asked Bartolomeo.

"Yep!" Luffy grinned. "So, let's going, you guys!"

"Yes, sir!" Bartolomeo replied before he went into "fanboy mode" again. "Ahhh...how thrilling! By his responding to his commands like this, I almost feel like I'm actually a true-blue Straw Hat Pirate!" However, he soon paused when he realized that the miners didn't seem so eager to follow them.

 _'What's with them?'_ thought Kumi.

"What's the matter with you guys?" Bartolomeo asked. "Are you coming or what?!"

"...As much as we wanna escape from this place," said one of the miners, "if Bill finds us, he'll force us back down here again."

"On top of that, he'll torture us!" added another.

"Oh, c'mon!" Bartolomeo barked. "What are ya?! Men or mice?! You shouldn't have to worry as long as Luffy- _senpai_ is in front of ya! He's like a one-man army! He's got the strength of 100 men! No! Make that 10 thousand or 100 million men! No, make it-"

"That's enough!" Desire called.

"Look, it doesn't matter how strong that guy is!" one of the miners argued. "No one can stand a chance against Bill! I'd rather stay down and dig ore than have molten silver poured on me and turn me into a statue! Aside him from, there's also a scary executive named Peseta, and then there's Reggie, that honey badger-man that White Wolf is fighting with!"

Luffy just nonchalantly picked his nose.

"Feh!" Bartolomeo scoffed. "To hell with you guys, then!"

"Hold it!" Desire exclaimed as she approached the miners, to Bartolomeo's confusion. "I've made a decision...I'm getting out of this place with Straw Hat to settle things!"

"Settle things?" Bartolomeo repeated.

'What's she talking about?' thought Kumi.

"And what are you lot gonna do?" asked Desire. "Do you really plan on spending the rest of your lives down in this godforsaken hole?! Even if you stay here, all you're doing is waiting around to die!"

Some of the miners looked down, as if shamefully.

"If that's the case," Desire continued, "isn't it best to take your chances and try to get off this island?! Show some damn backbone, will you?! Unless you think you're not pirates, anymore!"

The miners glanced at each other, as if seeming unsure...but then, they all nodded as they put on determined expressions.

"I'm going," said one of them.

"Yeah, so am I!" exclaimed another one.

"What's that?!" Desire questioned with a confident grin. "I can't hear you!"

"...WE'RE GOING!" shouted the miners, causing Luffy to laugh.

"All right then!" he exclaimed. "Let's get moving!"

On that, they all ran up the railroad, hurrying to escape. As they did, Bartolomeo looked over at Desire, who smiled.

"...Not bad, Desire," he said. "I see you still haven't lost your touch."

"You know me," Desire replied. "Now c'mon. Let's blow this pop stand."

"You got it!" Bartolomeo agreed.

XXX

Meanwhile, somewhere up ahead of Luffy's group, just as they were beginning to cross an overpass...

"...Good job making it this far," a voice muttered, when suddenly... **KABOOM!** A cannon was fired, causing Luffy to duck down to avoid a cannonball and hold Aika close to his chest. Then, **KABOOM-BOOM-BOOM! KABOOOOOM!** More cannons were fired at the overpass, which began to crumble and break apart due to all the explosions, until finally, Luffy fell off!

"Luffy- _senpai_!" Bartolomeo cried, and soon, he, Kumi, Desire, and the miners ended up falling off, too!

"Whoa!" Desire cried as she caught Kumi in her arms. "Gotcha!"

Luffy, who is still holding onto Aika, quickly turned himself on his back as he fell towards the ground.

"Gum-Gum...BALLOON!" he shouted as he inflated himself, causing the miners to bounce off his giant belly. Bartolomeo soon followed, and as he did, his comically sparkled in delight.

'I can't believe I'm falling on Luffy-senpai's Gum-Bum Balloon!' he thought as he bounced up and down on Luffy's stomach, too. 'It's such a blissful moment!'

His bliss was short-lived, however, when Desire ended up falling on his head.

"What are you doing, moron?!" Desire questioned.

 _'And I thought Aika liked jumping on Luffy's belly,'_ thought Kumi.

"Look out!" yelled one of the miners. "The overpass is gonna collapse on us!"

By now, Luffy had deflated and landed before the group, but he didn't have enough time to make another Gum-Gum Balloon, for the railroad was about to fall right on top of everybody.

XXX

Blizzard and Reggie, who were grappling each other in a wrestling match, looked up upon hearing that tremor.

 _"What was that?!"_ Blizzard questioned, but then Reggie punched him away and turned his backside to him.

"See ya later, White Wolf!" the honey badger-man shouted as he lifted his tail, letting off a foul-smelling stench that caused Blizzard to yelp and cover his sensitive nose.

 _"AGH!"_ Blizzard cried. _"Dammit! That's how he beat me last time!"  
_  
Soon, Reggie ran to a nearby rock wall and started to dig his way, laughing as he made his getaway.

 _"HEY!"_ Blizzard shouted as he looked inside the new tunnel. _"You coward! Get back here!"  
_  
XXX

"Let me handle this!" Bartolomeo declared. "Now...BARRIER~!"

Before long, a huge barrier appeared, deflecting the rubble and saving everyone from getting crushed.

"Nice move, Chicken Head!" Luffy praised.

"Of course!" Bartolomeo replied. "It's an honor to help you, Luffy- _senpai_!"

Just then, everyone heard the sound of someone clapping their hands, and as they looked up, they saw Peseta, mockingly clapping as he stood upon a ledge.

"It's really...incredible!" he exclaimed, contorting his body into an S-shape. "Incredible, incredible, INCREDIBLE!"

"Peseta!" Desire shouted. "Are these Bill's orders, again!?"

"But of course," Peseta smirked.

"Are you really planning on killing these men?!" Desire questioned. "Even after you drove them so hard?!"

"Hmph!" scoffed Peseta. "Having to spare them is...incredibly troublesome! So...I'll just kill them, along with you, Straw Hat, White Wolf, that brat and her pup, and that green-haired freak!"

"Now that pisses me off!" Bartolomeo shouted. "Barrier...CRUSH!"

 **WHAM!** With a thrust of his fist, the Cannibal threw his barrier, which was still holding the rubble from the overpass, at Peseta, who dodged out of the way. However, his subordinates weren't so lucky.

"Well...that ability of yours is as dangerous as they say," Peseta quipped.

"It's not just dangerous!" Bartolomeo answered. "Barrier-Ability...STAIRS!"

He thrust his fist upward, creating a giant staircase with his barrier!

"Oh! It's those stairs, again!" Luffy said. "The ones you used to help me and Blizzard back in Dressrosa!"

"That's right!" answered Bartolomeo. "Now hurry and use them, Luffy-senpai!"

"Why are you looking away from him?!" Desire questioned, for her old friend had his back turned to Luffy the whole time. Even after all that's happened, Bartolomeo was still starstruck to look his idol in the eye.

"All right!" Luffy exclaimed as he ran up the stairs. "Kumi, c'mon! Let's go!"  
 _  
"I'm coming!"_ Kumi answered as she followed him.

"Take care!" Bartolomeo called out as soon as he realized Luffy had his back turned to him. "Oh, wait! I should go, too! Wait for me!"

With that, he, as well as Desire and the miners, ran up the stairs, too, with Bartolomeo grinning happily as he did.

 _'This is so awesome!'_ thought Bartolomeo. _'I'm having way too much fun!'  
_  
"Heh!" Peseta grinned. "Last time I checked, there's only a limit to how much barrier you can put out at one time, right?!"

With a simple signal of the hand, he had his men fire their cannons at the group of escapees.

"I got this!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "Barrier!"

But nothing happened, and that's when he put on a look of shock.

"AH! I forgot!" he cried. "I used it all up on the stairs!"

With that, he was forced to run, just as the cannonballs hit the stairs. The only one who seemed unafraid was Luffy, who still carried the unconscious Aika in his arms.

"Follow Straw Hat!" Desire called out.

"Climb all the way to the top!" added Bartolomeo.

As they ran, Peseta only watched with his arms crossed.

"Master Peseta!" said one of his subordinates. "If we don't stop them, they'll-"

"Don't worry about it," answered Peseta. "I already have a plan B and C ready."

XXX

With Luffy's group, they kept running up to the top of the stairs, when suddenly, they saw a light up ahead.

 _"Look! We're gonna make it!"_ Kumi exclaimed.

Just as they were about to, however...it is revealed that some more pirates stood in their way, armed with flamethrowers!

 _"Or not...!"_ Kumi squeaked.

"We'll burn you all to a crisp!" shouted one of the pirates before they pulled the trigger on their flamethrowers...but just as the huge jets of flames were about to hit them...

XXX

"Shambles...!"

XXX

 **FWIP!** Suddenly, one of the miners disappeared...and in his place stood Kin'emon!

"Pardon me!" Kin'emon called out as he pushed his way passed the miners. "Foxfire Style! FIRE WILLOW SLASH!"

 **SLASH!** With a single swing of his sword, the samurai cut right through the flames!

"Kin'emon!" Luffy exclaimed. "It's you!"

"There's no flame that I cannot cut!" Kin'emon declared.

XXX

Outside, flying around the Silver Mine Fortress, was Jupiter in his owl-hybrid form, with Law sitting on his back...panting as he held his right arm.

 _"You all right, Law?"_ asked Jupiter.

"Yes," Law answered. "Sorry...my arm's still a bit sore, it seems."

"Don't push yourself, then," said his companion.

Meanwhile, the miner that Kin'emon switched places with...is revealed to be sitting on the deck of the Going Luffy-Senpai, looking around in confusion as to what happened.

XXX

Back in the tunnel...Luffy was preparing to send the pirates flying as he blew air into his fist and imbued it with Haki. Thankfully, Desire was holding Aika for him.

"GUUUUUUM...GUUUUUUUUUUM...ELEPHANT GUN~!"  
 **  
BLAM!** With that giant punch, he sent the pirates flying through the air! Soon after, everyone made it to the surface!

"WHEW~!" Luffy sighed, stretching his arm. "Hello, fresh air and sunshine! We finally made it outta that place!"

"Luffy!"

Luffy turned and saw Blizzard running up the barrier stairs, which were starting to disappeared.

"Blizzard! There you are!" Luffy called. "What happened to that honey badger-guy?"

"The damn coward sent me a cheap-shot and then got away from me!" Blizzard answered. "Sorry, Luffy...but I'll get him next time for sure!"

"I know you will," Luffy smiled.

"Wow!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "I can't believe I saw it! Luffy- _senpai's_ Elephant Gun! Such an amazing attack!"

"What are you doing, standing around?" Desire asked. "We gotta move it!"

Just then, Aika groaned as she finally opened her eyes.

 _"Aika!"_ Kumi exclaimed. "You're awake!"

"Kumi?" Aika asked as she looked up. "Where am I? What happened?" She then smacked her lips. "Huh? I taste blood again."

 _"Oh! Well...uh...that's because that honey badger guy kicked you in the mouth!"_ Kumi lied. "Lucky thing that Luffy and Blizzard saved you!"

"...Oh...they did, huh?" Aika asked, almost distantly.

"Aika."

Aika tensed up before she looked up and saw her older half-brother and Blizzard...both of them giving her a stern glare.

"We need to talk," Luffy said, causing the younger D. Carrier to smile sheepishly.

XXX

Luffy and Aika sat on the ground, across from each other. The former had his arms crossed and was unusually silent, while the latter, in human form, glanced around nervously, expecting to get yelled at. At last, the silence was broken when Luffy heaved a sigh.

"...Aika," he spoke up, "I've been really disappointed in you all day, today."

"But-" Aika started.

"No buts," Luffy interjected. "Aika...all day long, you've been trying to pick fights with people who could easily beat you to the ground. I mean...look at what happened to you!"

"But you do it all the time!" Aika argued.

"Aika, just because I do something doesn't mean you have to blindly copy me!" Luffy retorted. "Sure, I go picking fights sometimes, but you know what? At least nowadays, I know what I'm capable of! Two years ago, I used to get my ass kicked because of that! Or worse, I almost got killed!"

Aika gasped silently at this.

"Look, Aika," Luffy said. "Please listen to me when I say this: picking fights and having strength are two different things. You're just...you're just not ready yet. You only started training for a day. No one gets stronger after just one day!"

A pause...but then Aika sniffled, to Luffy's concern.

"Aika?" he asked.

"I...I just wanted to show you I can be strong, too!" she cried with tears falling form her eyes. "Then you wouldn't get rid of me!"

"What?!" Luffy questioned. "Aika, my god, what makes you think I'd get rid of you?!"

"...I remember Zoro saying that I'd probably be better off going with the Marines," Aika said. "I thought that if I didn't fight...you'd get rid of me because I'm so weak!"

A pause...but then Luffy sighed.

"Dammit, Zoro," he cursed under his breath before he looked at Aika. "Aika...just because you can't fight, it doesn't mean I'll get rid of you."

"...Really?" Aika asked, her eyes still welling with tears.

"Yes, really," Luffy said. "Aika...why would I ever get rid of you when I just found out that I have a little sister?"

"...All I wanted was to make you proud of me," Aika said, her head lowering, but then Luffy reached over and gently cupped her chin, causing her to look up at him as he smiled sincerely.

"Aika," he said, "I've always been proud of you...even if we haven't known each other for very long."

Aika smiled as she ran up and hugged her older half-brother, who smiled as he returned her embrace.

"...So...no more picking fights?" Luffy asked.

"Yeah," Aika answered. "I promise...!"

Nearby, Bartolomeo sniffled as he, Blizzard, Kumi, and Desire watched the tender moment.

"Luffy- _senpai_...!" Bartolomeo wept. "What a sincere, kind older brother he is!"

"...He is, huh?" Desire asked, smiling warmly.

Blizzard only chuckled with Kumi sitting on his head, just as Luffy and Aika approached them.

 _"So, everything okay, now?"_ Blizzard asked.

"Yep!" Luffy grinned. "All taken care of!"

"I won't pick fights with anybody, anymore," Aika said. "I realize now that I'm not ready to join you guys as far as fighting goes. For now, I'll just stick with my training."

"Good idea," Kumi said. "Can we get outta here, now?"

"We sure can!" Luffy answered. "Let's beat it!"

"Hold it!"

Everyone looked up to see Peseta and Reggie, standing on an overhanging ledge.

"You louts aren't going anywhere!" Peseta shouted.

"That's right!" shouted Reggie. "Don't think you bastards have won, yet!"

"It's them!" Aika cried.

"You again, Penta and Hedgie?!" Luffy asked.

"It's Peseta!" Peseta spat.

"And I'm Reggie!" Reggie added.

"Just take a look at what we've got, Desire!" Peseta exclaimed.

Reggie held up a broken railroad track, and chained to it were Desire's remaining crew members!

"My crew!" cried Desire.

"Big Sis Desire!" cried the stout woman.

"If ya resist, then these three bitches die!" Reggie said. "Gumamamamama!"

"Now, just come along quietly!" Peseta ordered.

"How despicable!" Kin'emon exclaimed in disgust.

"Peseta, you're a terrible, sick bastard!" Desire shouted.

"Terrible?" Peseta snickered. "I think you mean...INCREDIBLE!"

But then, SLASH! Something cut apart the tracks that Desire's crew was on, causing them to fall towards the escapees. Bartolomeo, who was a bit slow to react, was unfortunately used as a cushion to break their fall.

"What?!" Reggie and Peseta questioned.

"Guys!" Desire cried as she ran to her crewmates' side. "Are you all okay?"

"Y-yeah, more or less," answered the purple-haired woman. "Thanks, Big Sis."

"Hey, look!" Aika exclaimed. "It's-"

"Zoro!" Luffy shouted, causing Bartolomeo to gasp as he looked up...and sure enough, there was Zoro, standing on the same ledge as Reggie and Peseta, both of whom gasped and seethed angrily upon noticing him...as an ominous green glint appeared in the swordsman's single eye.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOHH~!" Bartolomeo hollered with starry eyes. "THERE HE IS~! When his comrades have their backs against the wall, he appears at just the right moment! IT'S _ZORO-SENPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI_ ~!"

 _"About damn time he shows up,"_ Blizzard chimed in.

 _"What kept him, anyway?"_ Kumi added.

"Luffy," Zoro spoke up. "I have to pay this back for what he did to me. Let me handle him."

"Oh, is that right?" Luffy asked. "Fine by me."

"Heh!" Peseta scoffed. "How can you be so composed about this, Pirate Hunter Zoro? You've got a bounty of 320 million...but you were pretty pathetic last night! Laugh at him! Laugh at him with me, men! HYAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"HYAHAHAHAHHAHA!" laughed his subordinates.

"Those bastards!" Bartolomeo cursed. "How dare they make fun of Zoro- _senpai_?! I ought to beat the living crap outta them!"

Just before he could go through with that declaration, however, Luffy raised his hand in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.

"L...Luffy-senpai?" Bartolomeo asked, confused, as Luffy sat down, his eyes hooded beneath the brim of his hat.

"Zoro said he'll handle it," the Straw Hat Captain said.

As Peseta and Zoro had their stare-down, the latter grinned, the same glint in his eyes.

"Bring it on, you snake," he hissed.

Peseta gasped, seeming a bit unnerved, but then he grinned right back at the swordsman, his confidence seemingly returning to him.

"You obviously don't know your place, do you?" he questioned. "I'll just immobilize you again!"

Zoro just nonchalantly put his bandanna on his head again. As he did, Peseta aimed the cannons mounted on his shoulders at the swordsman, who just glared at him with a scowl on his face, his hands poised to draw the _Wado Ichimonji_.

"One-Sword Style...Draw and Sheathe Technique..."  
 **  
KABLAM!** Peseta fired several artillery shells, the ones filled with birdlime, to stop Zoro in his tracks...but then, **SLASH!** With a single draw of his sword, Zoro cut the shells in half and sent them flying in different directions, causing them to stick to the rock walls!

"What?!" Reggie questioned.

"Impossible!" Peseta shouted. "My Special Adhesive Shells should stick to anything they touch!"

"Hmph!" Zoro scoffed. "It'd be shameful of a swordsman like me to even let that crap touch my blades!"

"Only Zoro-dono is capable of doing that!" Kin'emon declared, impressed.

"What the hell just happened?!" Desire questioned in awe.

"Zoro-senpai just cut all those Adhesive Shells like they were watermelons!" Bartolomeo exclaimed with comical tears of amazement. "And with just one swing of his sword! Only the man who is worthy of becoming the next World's Greatest Swordsman is able to do something so extraordinary!"

"Way to go, Zoro!" Aika and Kumi cheered.

 _"Not bad,"_ Blizzard smirked.

"Don't think this is over yet!" Peseta shouted. "Right, men?!"

No answer, to his confusion.

"Men?" he asked before he looked back and saw that his men were frozen in place, their muscles tensed up and their faces contorted with unease. "H-hey...what's going on with you idiots?! Go get him, already!"

But they didn't move. Even Reggie seemed to be petrified with fear!

"All right," Zoro said as he put Wado Ichimonji in his mouth, then drew _Shuusui_ and _Kitetsu III_. "I've had enough of you eyesores. Get lost!"

Hearing that struck a nerve in Peseta, who growled in anger.

"WHY YOU~!" he roared as he fired more Adhesive Shells at Zoro, who just stood there, poised to strike...as an aura that looked like a giant, green dragon appeared behind him.

"Three-Sword Style..." Zoro started. "BLACK ROPE DRAGON TWISTER!"

With a circular swing, the green-haired swordsman created a huge, black tornado of slashes, which sent Peseta and his cronies flying into the air, along with the shells full of birdlime!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGH!" Peseta screamed.

"WHERE DID THIS TWISTER COME FROM?!" asked one of the pirates, who ended up getting stuck in a big ball of birdlime with Peseta!

"THIS IS TERRIBLE~!" Peseta screamed as he was sent flying away into the sky, where they disappeared in a twinkle.

Reggie stared in disbelief as he watched Peseta go flying, but then he noticed Zoro, who glared at him, causing him to gasp.

"I see you have a sword there," said Zoro. "You wanna go, too?"

"What are ya, nuts?!" Reggie questioned. "Even I'm not that crazy! I'm outta here!"

Just as he turned to run away, he gasped upon seeing Blizzard, who growled and licked his lips.

 _"My turn, now,"_ he said, imbuing his fangs with Haki. _"You got nowhere to run now, badger boy!"  
_  
"N-n-nice doggy!" Reggie cried, but unfortunately, his pleas fell on deaf ears, when Blizzard ran toward him and started spinning around like a top!

 _"STEEL TWISTER FANG!"_ he roared before his spinning fangs collided with Reggie's stomach, causing him to cry out in pain as Blizzard drilled into him.

"Yeah!" Luffy cheered. "Go, Blizzard, go!"

"Teach him a lesson!" Aika added.

 _"Go get him!"_ Kumi shouted.

With another spinning push, Blizzard sent Reggie flying...right into the sea!

 _"Hmph!"_ Blizzard scoffed. _"Chump."_

"Way to go, you guys!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Yes, well done!" Kin'emon added.

"Big Sis Desire!" said the purple-haired Sweets Pirate.

"Yes, I know," said Desire. "This is our chance. Get everyone to the port! We're leaving this island!"

"But what about you?" asked the purple-haired Sweets Pirate. "What will you do, Big Sis?"

Desire turned away, to her crewmates' confusion.

"...I'll be along," Desire answered, "after I settle things here."

"Then let us go with you!" said the stout Sweets Pirate.

A pause...but then Desire smiled and shook her head "no" as she drew her silver weapon...the one Bill made for her.

"This...is a problem of my own making," she said. "I need to do this on my own."

The three Sweets Pirates stared at Desire, who had a look of seriousness in her eyes...before they all smiled.

"We understand, Big Sis," said the stout Sweets Pirate. "Promise us you'll come back to us safely. We won't go anywhere without you!"

"I know...my sisters," Desire answered before she gave them all a hug. "I love each and everyone of you. You're more precious to me than you'll ever know."

"We know, Big Sis," said the Sweets Pirates.

Luffy and Aika both smiled at the tender moment.

"All right!" called the purple-haired Sweets Pirates. "Let's get out of here, everybody!"

"YEAH!" the miners called as they followed them.

"You guys saved our lives!" said one of them.

"Thank you so much!" added another.

"See you later!" Luffy waved.

"Don't forget to write!" Aika added.

"Wait, Desire!" Bartolomeo said. "Are you really going to settle things with Bill?"

"...It's not like it's any of your business," answered Desire.

"You don't still believe in that jackass, do you?!" Bartolomeo questioned.

"No," Desire replied. "It's actually just the opposite." She then turned to face Luffy. "First...I'd like to settle something with you, Straw Hat."

"Like what?" Luffy asked.

"...I apologize for how I acted before," Desire answered, bowing her head. "Please, forgive me."

"Ah, that's okay," Luffy smiled. "Besides, you gave me that chocolate bar, so I'm not mad at you!"

Desire raised her head and chuckled at this.

"Hey, let's go," Zoro said. "Usopp and the others are on the ship, waiting for us."

"Yes!" Kin'emon added. "It is only a matter of time until we come under attack by enemy forces! We must escape, at once!"

"See you later, Desire!" Bartolomeo waved as he, Luffy, Zoro, Aika, Kumi, and Blizzard made a run for it. However, as they were crossing a bridge, a blob of molten metal came down and hit it, just after Zoro, Kin'emon, Aika, and Kumi crossed over!

"Oh, no!" Aika cried.

 _"Dammit!"_ Blizzard cursed.

"Ah! Hot, hot, hot!" Luffy shouted, feeling the heat of the molten metal as it melted the bridge.

"Big Brother!" Aika called out, worriedly.

"That was close!" Luffy cried, and as the steam cleared, it is revealed the molten metal ended up melting the bridge all the way through, leaving Luffy, Blizzard, Bartolomeo, and Desire stuck on the other side.

"My...what a shame. The sum total Straw Hat, Pirate Hunter, and White Wolf's bounties is 820,400,00 Berries...and I was going to capture them all at once."

"Bill!" Desire shouted as she looked up, and sure enough, there was Bill, standing on a nearby ledge, holding some ore in his hand.

"Luffy!" Zoro called.

"Allow us to assist you!" Kin'emon added.

"No!" Luffy called back. "You guys go on without me!"

"What?!" Kin'emon questioned. "But...what about-"

"You just take Aika and Kumi back to the ship, okay?" Luffy asked.

"...Let's go," Zoro spoke up as he picked up Aika and Kumi.

"U...understood," Kin'emon added.

"Big Brother! Blizzard! Be careful!" Aika called as Zoro turned and ran off with the two pups.

"Screw Pirate Hunter," Bill said. "I'm not gonna let a man worth 500 million and a dog worth 400 thousand get away...Straw Hat and White Wolf."

XXX

Somewhere on the outer reef of the island, the Going Luffy-Senpai is surrounded by Battle Boats, and Usopp, Robin, Franky, and the Barto Club were trying their hardest to fight them off!

"Listen up, you guys!" shouted Gambi. "Franky-senpai was kind enough to repair the Going Luffy-Senpai! Don't let her get damaged like that again!"

"Right!" the Barto Club Pirates shouted.

"Special Attack! Green Star: SEA DEVIL!" Usopp yelled as he fired a Pop Green into the water, causing a giant Devil Flytrap to grow.

"Look out!" cried one of the Silver Pirates, only to be quickly devoured!

"Weapons LEFT!" Franky shouted as he fired bullets from his knuckles, hitting another Silver Pirate off his Battle Boat!

"Mil Fleur! Gigantesco Mano!" Robin exclaimed as a pair of giant legs grew from the shore. "STOMP!"

 **WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!** The legs stomped on any other Silver Pirates in their path. However, more Battle Boats were continuously deployed every time one pirate was defeated!

"Crap!" Franky cursed. "No matter how many we take down, more keep coming!"

"Where the hell are Straw Hat-ya and White Wolf-ya?!" Law asked, sitting on Jupiter's back.

"I guess he and Blizzard are still being held up," Robin answered.

"...C'mon, Luffy...!" Usopp whispered, worriedly.

XXX

Back on the island, Luffy and Bill glared at each other intensely...until Desire stepped forward, gritting her teeth.

"...Straw Hat," she said. "Let me deal with him...Bill and I have a score to settle!"

"Huh?" Bill muttered. "A score to settle? Ha! Don't make me laugh. The way I settle things is by collecting bounties! So...I'll smelt you and this mine itself to do that!"

"What?!" Desire questioned. "But if you do that...your subordinates will-"

"Who cares about my subordinates?!" Bill questioned. "Their bounties are chump changes compared to Straw Hat, White Wolf, and all those other Worst Generation punks, but it's better than nothing...especially if it helps make my dream a reality!"

"You said your dream was to dominate the Great Pirate Era!" Desire shouted. "Isn't that what you told me when you saved my life, that day?!"  
 **  
CHOMP! MUNCH-CRUNCH! CRACK!** Bill just ate the ore in his hand, red smoke seeping through his teeth.

"Saved your life?" he repeated with a sick grin. "Heh! Yeah...I saved you, all right...since you were capable of leading an all-women pirate crew...I thought you'd be of use to me."

"Of...use to you?" Desire parroted...before she gasped in horror. "No...don't tell me...! The one who shot down most of my crew...that was you?!"  
 **  
CHOMP-CHOMP! MUNCH!** Bill munched on some more ore, letting out more red steam from his mouth.

"...That's right," he said. "It was me...I killed them all and I saved you...a wonderful performance, don't you think?!"

 _'...That sick bastard...!'_ Blizzard thought.

"And you know what makes it funny?" Bill inquired. "You, being the simple-minded bitch that you are, got sucked up into my dream like a loyal little lapdog! That's what this is all about, Desire...! Hehehehehehehe...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You...you prick...!" Desire hissed with tears of anger in her eyes. "To think...I had actually fallen for you! HOW DARE YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY FEELINGS LIKE THAT!"

"Hmph!" Bill scoffed. "Your pathetic tears don't mean a thing to me."

Silently, Luffy just stood there, letting Desire have her piece...but as he listened to Bill's gloating, he raised his head, which revealed a very enraged glare in his eyes. One thing was for certain: when Luffy had that look in his eyes, it only meant that a massive fury was about to break loose. **  
**

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

Review, please!


	4. A Desperate Situation

**Ch. 4- A Desperate Situation**

* * *

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard, Jupiter, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Reggie, and Kuro Diablo/Gild Plata © Me

* * *

When we last left our heroes, Aika, in attempt to prove to Luffy that she was strong enough to handle herself, was brutally beaten by Reggie, the honey-badger man. While Blizzard held him off, Luffy, Aika, Kumi, Bartolomeo, Desire, and the miners that Bill had enslaved attempt escape, but not without interference from Peseta. Thanks to the timely arrival of Law and Kin'emon, however, they are successful in making it to the surface.

During this time, Luffy has a stern talk with Aika, who reveals that she is afraid of the crew casting her aside for being useless, but Luffy assures that he will never get rid of her, to her relief. Just as they are caught by Peseta, who uses Desire's remaining crew members as hostages, but he is soon defeated by Zoro. Reggie, in an act of cowardice, attempts to flee, but Blizzard gets in his way and soon, he is vanquished, as well. As everyone escapes to the _Going Luffy-Senpai_ , Luffy, Bartolomeo, Blizzard, and Desire are separated from Zoro, Aika, Kumi, and Kin'emon by Bill, who reveals that he had killed most of Desire's previous crew members and faked her rescue.

With that...the final confrontation had begun.

"Pathetic," Bill said. "Simply pathetic! Pirates really are hopeless people, aren't they? You lot believe in such immature things like dreams and other crap like that! You're no better than children in a nursery!"

Hearing that caused Desire to seethe angrily, her tears stinging at her eyes.

"However," Bill began, "you were very useful. Just by dangling a simple dream in front of you, you and all those other louts became enthralled and worked hard just to please me! Without knowing about all the treasures and bounties you brought to me would be used for me to live a life of luxury and leisure, you guys worked your asses to the ground! Which reminds me...what were you saying just now, Desire? Something about 'settling things' with me...you don't think you can actually defeat me, do you?!"

Desire growled, clenching her fist tighter and tighter, while Luffy, Blizzard, and Bartolomeo just stood silently.

"Or maybe...you want me to get in bed with you?" Bill inquired, mockingly. "I wouldn't sleep with a dog like you, even if you were the last woman on earth! You are so pathetic, underestimating me like that...it pisses me off. Fine, I'll humor you. C'mon! Hit me with your best shot! I dare you! If you're so eager to get killed, I'll smelt you first, you dumb bitch!"

That did it. Blinded by her rage, Desire screamed as she charged at Bill, her tears blurring her vision as she brandished her weapon. Bill smirked as his skin glowed hot red and he reached inside his stomach, preparing to draw a weapon of his own, but then, just as Desire was about to reach him... **THOMP!** Bill gasped as Blizzard suddenly leapt up and landed in front of him, growling viciously with his fur standing on end...and on his back was Luffy, who was in Gear Second mode.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAARRGH!" Luffy roared as he punched Bill right in the jaw, sending him crashing into a wall behind him, and leaving a huge dent in the rock! Desire gasped while Bill tried to pick himself, blood dripping from his lip.

"Straw Hat...! White Wolf...!" he hissed.

"...You know?" Luffy asked as Gear Second started to subside. "You really piss me off."

 _"I second that,"_ Blizzard growled.

"Wait a minute!" Desire shouted. "I told you, he's-"

"Hold on there, Desire!" Bartolomeo called. "Let Luffy- _senpai_ and Blizzard- _senpai_ take care of him."

Desire gasped silently, as if unsure, but then sighed as she turned and watched as Bill stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth and glared at Luffy with great intensity.

"...Such pure, kind eyes..." Bill hissed. "It's eyes like that that make me wanna puke!" He then reached into his stomach again and pulled out two swords. "I'll cut you and that mutt of yours to ribbons!"

With that, he charged at the Straw Hat Captain and his guard dog, both of whom just stood quietly, but then, the latter growled as he imbued his fangs with Armaments Haki and bit down on Bill's blades, shatter them into pieces!

"What?!" Bill questioned as the pieces melted into silver blobs.

"Got any more tricks?" Luffy asked.

"Rrrrrgh...damn you!" Bill cursed as he reached into his stomach again and pulled out a large ax, which was still dripping with molten metal. As he tried to hit Luffy and Blizzard, the two easily dodged the attack using their Observation Haki. Bartolomeo and Desire gasped as they narrowly avoided the blobs of metal from Bill's ax, but then Luffy imbued his leg with Armaments Haki and gave Bill a hard kick to the chest, causing him to cough up blood. Then, Luffy jumped off Blizzard's back and somersaulted into the air, going Gear Second, once again, and then, **WHAM!** He punched Bill in the stomach, sending him crashing into that same dent he made in the rock!

"Way to go, my great _senpais_!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "As if there was ever any doubt!"

"They're both so strong...!" Desire whispered. "And the way they work in tandem like that...it's like they have the same mind!"

Bill panted as he sat on his knees, more in disbelief than pain. He couldn't believe that some brat from the Worst Generation was getting the upper hand over him!

"There's no way you can beat me or Blizzard," Luffy said, to which Blizzard barked in agreement.

"...So this is the power of a man worth 500 million...!" Bill whispered.

At that moment, several of Bill's men appeared, riding on Battle Boats.

"Bill, are you okay!?" asked one with dreadlocks before he noticed Desire. "Huh? Desire?! What's she doing here with Straw Hat, White Wolf, and the other guy?!"

"Everybody, listen!" Desire cried. "We've all been fooled! Bill is-"

"Desire has betrayed us!" Bill shouted, suddenly. "She's been corrupted by Straw Hat and defected to his side, so she can destroy the Silver Pirate Alliance! She already took out Avelon, Peseta, and Reggie!"

"What?!" questioned one of the Silver Pirates.

"So you mean the Straw Hats attacked us," another started, "is because...!"

"That's right," Bill smirked. "Desire planned this whole thing from the beginning!"

"Don't listen to him!" Desire shouted. "He's been lying to all of us!"

"I don't think they're gonna listen, Desire!" Bartolomeo argued.

 _"That damn bastard...how dare he do this?!"_ Blizzard growled.

"I saw it!" Desire yelled. "I saw the allies that Bill tossed into the underground mines to work as his slaves! He was going to do the same to you all, eventually?!"

"Eh?!" the Silver Pirates questioned in shock.

"Hey, hey!" Bill called. "Don't listen to her! I would never do such a thing to you! Now...kill that traitor, along with Straw Hat, White, and that chicken-haired freak!"

"My name is Bartolomeo, you dumb-ass!" Bartolomeo barked.

"That son of a bitch...!" Desire seethed. "How dare he say that without shame?!"

"Well, I saw this coming," Bartolomeo shrugged.

"Get 'em!" shouted the Silver Pirates as they charged toward the quarter on their Battle Boats while Bill just quietly stood by with the same evil grin on his face.

'Fools,' he thought as he reached inside his stomach. 'I'll just let them be my shield for me...and once Straw Hat and White Wolf are weakened...I'll shoot them both, myself!'

"Straw Hat!" cried Desire. "Please, go easy on them! They're being tricked!"

"Oh, trust me," Luffy said. "I know."

Bill smirked as he pulled out a bazooka from his stomach, preparing to shoot the quartet...but just as he was about to do so...

'3...2...1...' Blizzard thought with a smirk.

As if on cue, Luffy raised his head up, a deathly glare in his eyes as his Conqueror's Haki burst from his very being, which caused both the pirates and their Battle Boats to fall to the ground, unconscious, much to Bill's shock.

"Now it's your turn, smelt guy!" Luffy shouted as he jumped on Blizzard's back, again. "Go, Blizzard!"

Blizzard roared as he charged at Bill with such speed, that he was like a missile. Bill grunted as he tried to shoot at Blizzard, but Luffy, using his Gum-Gum Jet Pistol, instantly shattered. With no time left to react, Bill only cried in as Blizzard sank his hardened fangs into his wrist and slammed him against the ground and then tossed him into the air, and soon after, Luffy jumped up and used another Jet Pistol to shoot him right through the ground!

"NO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY~!" Bill screamed as he plummeted to the mines down below.

"Hmph!" Luffy scoffed. "That takes care of him!"

"Luffy- _senpai_! Blizzard- _senpai_!" cheered Bartolomeo.

 _"Nice going,"_ Blizzard smiled.

"Couldn't have done it without you, buddy," Luffy replied as he bumped his fist against Blizzard's paw. "Anyway, let's hurry back to the ship and meet up with the others!"

"Right!" Bartolomeo exclaimed.

"...Wow...!" Desire whispered in awe. "Those two...are amazing...!"

XXX

Meanwhile, inside the underground caverns, Bill was lying on the cold, hard ground in defeat...but then, he gasped upon hearing snickering somewhere nearby.

"My, my...what a mess this is."

Bill quickly sat up and turned to see Kuro Diablo approaching him.

"K...Kuro Diablo...!" he stammered.

"You are truly pathetic, Bill," Kuro Diablo said. scratching his ear with his paw. "To think, you were actually defeated by some rookie pirate from who-knows-where. Is this really the extent of you greed?"

"No, wait!" Bill cried. "I can explain!"

"Don't bother," Kuro Diablo interjected as he turned away from him. "I can't imagine how disappointed my brother would be, once he finds out about this...he'll discard you, and that will be the end of it."

Upon hearing that, Bill gasped in horror.  
 _  
'...His brother...the Monster of the New World...!'_ he thought. 'I met him once before...a king of greed. He brought me and the rest of my pirate crew to our knees so easily...with the power of money! ...I can still remember his words...!'

"The defeated faces of those who give in to me...THAT'S entertainment...!"

"...No...!" Bill hissed, clenching his fists. "If he discards me...!"  
 **  
CHOMP! MUNCH! MUNCH! CRUNCH! CHONK!** Soon, he began shoveling ore in his mouth, as much as he could and as fast as he could.

"No!" he exclaimed. "I'm not done yet! I'm not, you hear me?!"

As he kept eating the ore, the minerals inside his stomach started boiling at a faster rate, and his body started growing hotter and hotter.

"Don't you think you're eating a bit too much, there?" Kuro Diablo inquired, but Bill just kept eating the ore, to the point where molten silver began dripping out of his mouth...and he had a crazed look in his eyes while doing so. "Well...I suppose you know what you're doing. Let's see just what you're capable of, then."

With that, the black jaguar just padded out, while Bill's body started glowing a hot white...and started expanding.

XXX

Back outside, Blizzard panted as he carried Luffy, Bartolomeo, and Desire on his back.

"Can't he run faster?!" Desire asked.

"Blizzard's not used to carrying more than two people!" Luffy answered.  
 _  
"Haa...haa...haa...!"_ Blizzard panted, his tongue lulling out of his mouth. _"Hey, Luffy...is it me? Or did it get hotter out here all of a sudden?"  
_  
"Huh?" Luffy muttered before he wiped some sweat off his forehead. "Actually, now that you mention it, it is getting kinda hot, isn't it?"

"Suddenly, I'm feeling hot, too," Bartolomeo spoke up.

"Yeah, me too," Desire agreed. "What's going on?"

Suddenly, they heard the sound of panicked screams coming from behind them, and as they turned, they saw the Silver Pirates, running towards them with frightened expressions.

"Oh, you guys still wanna fight?!" Bartolomeo questioned, only for the pirates to run right passed. "Eh?"

"What are they running from?" Luffy asked.

Blizzard looked back, only to gasp in shock.

 _"Uhh...Luffy?"_ he asked. _"Look!"  
_  
As Luffy turned, he gasped upon see three more Silver Pirates running away from a giant river of molten metal that melted the ground!

"What the hell is that?!" Bartolomeo questioned.

"...I've got a bad feeling about this...!" Desire said, worriedly.

XXX

Back at the Going Luffy-Senpai, Franky, Usopp, Robin, and the Barto Club Pirates are still trying to fight off the Silver Pirates.

"Take THIS!" Franky shouted as he shot down another Battle Boat, but they still came under fire.

"Dammit!" Usopp cursed. "There's just no end to these bastards!"

Robin gritted her teeth as she kept her arms crossed, but then she gasped as she sensed a familiar presence, and before long...

"One-Sword Style! 360 CALIBER PHOENIX!"  
 **  
SLASH!** With a powerful air-compressed slash, Zoro sent the Silver Pirates flying away from the Going Luffy-Senpai!

"Zoro! Kin'emon!" Usopp exclaimed as he, Kin'emon, Aika, and Kumi approached.

"Usopp! Aunt Robin! Franky! Traffy! Juppy! Kanjuro!" Aika exclaimed. "You're okay!"

"Good to see that you're all right, too, sweetheart!" Robin added.

"Where are Straw Hat-ya and White Wolf-ya?!" Law questioned.

"We had met up with them," Kin'emon started, "but..."

"They said they had to stay behind and settle some things," Zoro concluded. "We'll just stay here and wait until they show up."

"Again with him?!" Usopp questioned. "Sheesh, it never ends!"  
 _  
"How can that idiot be so easygoing?"_ Jupiter asked.

"I'm just glad they're okay," said Robin.

All of a sudden, the ground started cracking and melting, as did the silver fortress!

"H-hey! What's going on?!" Usopp questioned. "Everything's melting!"

"...Big Brother...!" Aika whispered, worriedly.

XXX

Back with Luffy, Blizzard, Bartolomeo, and Desire...they gasped upon seeing something approaching them...or rather, someone...a rather large someone, at that!

"What the hell is that thing?!" Bartolomeo questioned. "Is it even human?!"

"It's...it's Bill!" Desire exclaimed.

"What?!" Bartolomeo asked in shock.

Indeed, it was Bill...only, he had eaten so much ore, his body had grown massive from all the ore he had, and it was constantly letting out steam. In fact, the ground itself was melting with each step he took!

"Are you sure that's him?!" Bartolomeo asked. "I thought he was a blast-furnace human, a Paramecia...but it looks more like a Logia to me!"  
 _  
"...Luffy, what do we do?"_ asked Blizzard as he looked at Luffy, who only stood silently, sweat dripping from his forehead due to the heat.

"...You won't get away from me...!" Bill growled, a mad grin on his face and his eyes wide and bloodshot. "I'll melt you all down...TO NOTHING~!"

As everything melted around Bill, the maddened pirate laughed maniacally as he approached Luffy, Blizzard, Bartolomeo, and Desire, who gasped in horror upon seeing what he had become.

"This is bad!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "It's like a raging inferno! If nothing's done soon, this whole island will met and sink!"

"I think that's exactly what he wants!" said Desire. "Bill's trying to kill us by smelting this whole island, along with us!"

"What?!" Bartolomeo questioned.

 _"We gotta get outta here!"_ Blizzard shouted. _"Right now!"_

"You couldn't be more right, buddy!" Luffy agreed. "Blizzard, let's ride!"

On that, Blizzard turned and ran as fast as he possibly could, but it proved quite difficult with three people on his back.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE~!" Bill roared as he sprayed molten ore out of his body, nearly hitting the escaping group, but then, Bartolomeo quickly jumped off of Blizzard and crossed his fingers, causing a barrier to be erected, which saved them just in time.

"Phew!" Bartolomeo sighed. "Close call!"

"I'm not done yet!" Bill shouted as he sprayed more of the molten metal out of his arms, which ended up going over the barrier and landing behind Blizzard. "I'll smelt everyone I see as useless!"

"Oh, crap!" Bartolomeo cried as he saw the molten ore going around the barrier. "It's flowing in from the sides, too!"

"Run for it!" Desire shouted as they turned to flee, but as Luffy and Blizzard ran to catch, they found their path cut off as more ore fell before them. Not long after, Desire slipped and lost her footing, nearly falling into a crevice, but then, Bartolomeo turned around and caught her by the wrist, leaving her dangling over the edge!

"Desire, you okay?!" Bartolomeo asked.

Meanwhile, Luffy and Blizzard found themselves surrounded by molten ore, using whatever ground was left as a foothold.

"Oh, no!" Bartolomeo cried. "Luffy- _senpai_! Blizzard- _senpai_!"

"What are you doing, Bartolomeo?!" Desire questioned. "Just let me fall! I thought you said you were gonna help Straw Hat be King of the Pirates!"

"Cut the crap, will you?!" Bartolomeo shouted. "Even if I turn out to be a rotten son of a bitch, I'd never forsake a friend!"

"BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, YOU HYPOCRITE!" Desire barked in comical anger.

"I did?" Bartolomeo asked, confused.

"It's over...!" Bill hissed. "DIE, STRAW HAT AND WHITE WOLF!"

With that, molten ore gushed out of his body, heading straight for Luffy and Blizzard...and it seemed to hit them, melting them both down alive! At least...it seemed that way, at first. When Bill got a closer look...he saw that the two Straw Hats had been protect by another one of Bartolomeo's barriers!

"Damn!" Bartolomeo cursed with Desire sitting beside him, panting heavily. "Another close call!"

"Thanks a lot, Chicken-Head!" Luffy called.

"No problem!" Bartolomeo replied. "I'll back you up with everything I have since my support came in a little late! Fight, fight, Luffy-senpai and Blizzard-senpai-"

 **BONK!** Desire stood up and hit him on the back of his head, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Enough, already!" she barked.

 _"What a weirdo,"_ Blizzard grinned.

"Yeah, but he sure is helpful," Luffy replied. "Hey, Chicken-Head!"

"Y-yes, Luffy-senpai?" Bartolomeo inquired.

"Can you do something about this hot stuff?" Luffy asked.

"S-sure!" Bartolomeo answered. "Anything for you, I'll gladly handle it!"

"As if you could get rid of something like this so easily!" Bill shouted as he sent a wave of molten ore at them.

"Barrier-Ability!" Bartolomeo exclaimed as he crossed his fingers. "BIG HAND!"

Soon, a giant hand made of the Cannibal's barrier formed and pushed the molten metal back as Bartolomeo charged forward with Luffy riding on Blizzard's back and Desire right behind him, and before Bill realized, he found himself swallowed by the molten hot minerals he had smelted himself!

"Did we do it?" asked Bartolomeo.

"No," Luffy answered. "It's not over yet!"

The Straw Hat Captain spoke the truth, for out of the dust emerged Bill, once more...only this time, he had returned to his regular frame, but now, his entire body was coated with silver, and the whites of his eyes had turned completely black, leaving only his golden yellow irises.

"You...idiot pirates...!" he snarled. "I know something...that you don't!"

As he said this...an image of himself lying defeated before a man adorned in a pink suit and wearing golden rings on his fingers flashed before his eyes.

"Something as stupid as dreams...WON'T HELP YOU SURVIVE IN THE NEW WORLD!"

With that, he raised his hands, creating a gigantic ball of molten ore over his head!

"Aiming for the top?! Becoming the King of the Pirates?!" Bill questioned. "I'LL SHATTER ALL OF THOSE FOOLISH DREAMS!"

"JUST SHUT UP~!" Luffy roared as Blizzard charged at Bill, once more, whilst the captain bit his thumbs and blew air into them, making them huge as he imbued them with Armaments Haki. "NOW GUUUUUUM-GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM...GRIZZLY..."

"IT'S OVER!" Bill yelled as he threw the giant ball of ore at Luffy and Blizzard.

"MAGNUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM!" Luffy shouted before he threw both gigantic fists at the ore, pushing right through it before it dissipated completely, and soon after, Bill screamed as he was sent flying by the force of the powerful attack, crashing into his own throne room!

Desire gasped silently...but then looked down, as if seeming remorseful...but then smiled, as if in relief.

"YEAH~!" Bartolomeo cheered before he sobbed in comical joy. "I can't believe it...I fought hand-in-hand with Luffy- _senpai_ and Blizzard- _senpai_! MY EXTRAORDINARY DREAM HAS COME TRUE, AT LAST!"

Luffy, Blizzard, and Desire all smiled...but the celebration was short-lived, for they heard a loud explosion coming from somewhere on the island. As they turned, they saw that it was still melting, due to all the excess ore that Bill had smelted!

"What the?!" Bartolomeo questioned. "Why hasn't the island stopped melting?!"

"It's because the molten metal that Bill produced was made from real ore!" Desire replied. "Just because you defeated Bill, it won't change anything!"

"Then what do we do?!" Bartolomeo asked. "How the hell do we get off this hellhole?!"

"How should I know?!" Desire questioned back.

"Hey, what's that over there?" Luffy asked, pointing at something nearby.

XXX

"C'mon! Hurry up!"

"We're coming! Wait for us!"

At a large tanker, Desire's crewmates are helping the miners on board.

"C'mon! Climb up!" cried the purple-haired Sweets Pirate.

"You can make it!" added the short Sweets Pirate.

"Thanks," said one of the miners. "You saved our hides!"

"Hey! Let us on, too!"

Everyone turned to see the remaining members of the Silver Pirate Alliance, running toward the tanker while being chased by the molten ore.

"Come on! Hurry and get on board!" called the stout Sweet Pirate.

"Hey! We gotta leave, now!" cried one of the miners.

"We can't!" answered the stout Sweets Pirate. "Big Sis Desire isn't here yet!"

"We don't have a choice!" argued another miner. "That molten stuff is gonna kill us!"

XXX

Out at sea, the Going Luffy-Senpai had managed to get away from the island, but they could only watch as it melted away.

"Th-th-that doesn't really look good, does it?!" asked Gambia.

"What do we do?!" asked a blonde Barto Club Pirate. "Shouldn't we go help Luffy- _senpai_ , Blizzard- _senpai_ , and the captain?!"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," said Zoro, holding up Luffy's Vivre Card. "As long as Luffy's Vivre Card is intact, then that means he's okay."

"Luffy and Blizzard won't be killed by something like this," Franky assured.

"...I hope so," Aika said.

 _"Don't worry, Aika,"_ Kumi spoke up. _"Luffy and Blizzard are really strong, you know! They wouldn't be defeated so easily!"  
_  
"Oh, dear," Robin said. "It looks like the island will sink any minute."

"That's still not good!" Gambia cried. "Captain Bartolomeo and Luffy- _senpai_ are Devil Fruit users!"

Just then, Usopp spotted something come off the island's shore.

"Wait...is that...?!" he asked as he looked through his goggles. "Yeah, it is! It's Luffy and the Chicken Guy!"

It was revealed that Luffy, Blizzard, and Bartolomeo were riding all riding on Desire's Battle Boat.

"Hey, guys~!" Luffy waved.

"We made it!" Bartolomeo shouted.

"Big Brother!" Aika exclaimed happily.

"Welcome back, you guys~!" called the Barto Club Pirates.

"I told you they'd be okay," Franky grinned.

"Hey, Chicken-Head Lady!" Luffy said. "Riding on this swordfish feels really good!"

"Big Sis~!"

Desire gasped as she turned and saw her crew members, as well as the miners and the remaining Silver Pirate members.

"You guys!" Desire called back, relieved.

"It's good to see that they're all okay!" Luffy added. "Shishishishi!"

Blizzard then glanced back at Silver Mine...which continued to melt from all the molten ore that Bill had produced. Everything had been swallowed up: the dungeons, the auditorium, the mines, even the mining colonies that had been made. Before too long...the entire island itself had sunken into the sea...with Bill on it.

The Silver Pirate Alliance was no more.

XXX

Later that day, as the sun began to set, the remaining members of the Silver Pirate Alliance and the miners had gone their separate ways. During that time, Desire and her Sweets Pirates had stayed on board the _Going Luffy-Senpai_.

"Thanks a lot for taking care of us," said Desire, standing before Luffy, Blizzard, Aika, Kumi, and Bartolomeo, "despite all the trouble we caused."

"Yeah, well maybe next time," Bartolomeo began, "you shouldn't let yourself get manipulated like that!"

"All right, I get it," Desire sneered. "Seriously, don't rub it in!"

"Oh, and one more thing," Bartolomeo said. "If you don't have anywhere to go...you could always join up with the Barto Club, you know!"

"Yeah! Let's hang out, sometime!" said the Barto Club Pirates.

"...It's a kind offer, Bartolomeo," Desire began, "and I do appreciate it...but I think I'm gonna pass. I'm not really a fan of Straw Hat, anyway. Besides, I've had enough of being on the back seat. It's time I took the wheel again, and my girls and I are gonna rise to the top of the pirate world on our own! That's our new dream!"

"Yeah!" exclaimed the Sweets Pirates.

"What did you say?!" Bartolomeo questioned. "As if you stand a chance against Luffy- _senpai_!"

"How do you know, you twit?!" Desire barked. "You're gonna be sorry if we ever see each other again!"

"Oh, yeah?!" Bartolomeo asked.

"Yeah!" Desire shouted.

"YEAH?!"

"YEAH!"

"YEAAAAAAAAAAHH?!"

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

"Ahahahahahahaha!" the D. Siblings laughed, gaining their attention.

"Man, you two are hilarious!" Luffy said.  
 _  
"They act like a married couple,"_ Blizzard added.

"Yeah! You two look really cute together!" Aika spoke up. "Shishishishi!"

Upon hearing that, Bartolomeo and Desire both blushed red before they glanced at each other, then looked away.

"Well, we better get going," Luffy said.

"Right!" agreed Bartolomeo.

"Oh! Before we go, one more thing!" Aika said before she went up and hugged Desire, who was a bit taken back by the gesture, but then she smiled and gently pat the six-year-old on the back. "Bye-bye, Miss Desire."

"See ya around, kid," said Desire as she put her hands on Aika's shoulders. "You keep working on getting stronger, got that? But don't be so overzealous when it comes to fighting. You still have a long way to go."

"Mm!" Aika nodded. "I know that, now."

"And make sure you do what your brother says," Desire added as she glanced at Luffy, who grinned. "He may be new to taking care of you, but he still knows what's best...sometimes, anyway."

"Shishishishi!" Aika giggled.

"Shishishishishi!" Luffy laughed.

"Well," Desire began as she turned to leave, "we're outta here. And Bartolomeo?"

"Yeah?" Bartolomeo asked before Desire tossed him a piece of paper.

"Keep in touch, okay?" she asked, winking at him.

Bartolomeo blinked before he looked at the paper and saw that it was a Transponder Snail number.

"Let's ride, girls!" Desire called as she and her crew drove off on their Battle Boats. "See you guys!"

"So long!" Bartolomeo called out to her. "And take care, Desire!"

"Well, now that that's finally outta the way," Luffy began, "unfurl the sails! We're going to Zou!"

"YEAH~!" the Straw Hats and the Barto Club Pirates cheered as the sails opened up and caught the wind.

"We're coming, Big Sis Nami!" Aika called out. "And Sanji, and Chopper, and Brook, and Momo, too!"

 _ **AWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!**_ Kumi howled in agreement, but as the Going Luffy-Senpai sailed away...Blizzard was looking back towards the sea, not really focusing, but deep in thought, something that Luffy took notice.

"Hey, Blizzard," Luffy said. "What's the matter?"

 _"...I've been having this nagging feeling since we left,"_ Blizzard answered. _"I can't help but think that maybe, just maybe...Bill was being manipulated by somebody way higher up than him."_

"Really?" Luffy asked. "Like who?"

 _"...That's the one thing I don't know,"_ Blizzard replied, _"but if my instincts are right...I think we'll find out, one day. Something else has been bothering me, too, actually...and it's about Sanji's wanted poster."_

"Oh, yeah," Luffy grinned. "That picture is even stupider than his old one, right?"

 _"That's not what I mean,"_ Blizzard rebuked. _"Why is it that out of all of us, Sanji is suddenly wanted alive? ...I have a feeling something might be going on with him."_

"...Like what?" Luffy inquired.

 _"Now that, Luffy,"_ Blizzard began, _"is something that even I'm afraid to find out."_

XXX

Later that night, somewhere in the New World...Koala was seen, looking through a pair of binoculars at some distant light, so bright that it illuminated the sea around it.

"I see," said Koala. "So that's _Gran Tesoro_...the place where the Monster of the New World, a man with power equal to that of the Celestial Dragons, is said to reside."

"So it seems," said Hack...sounding somewhat nervous.

XXX

Inside a building, Kuro Diablo is seen approaching a shadowy figure. However, as he kept walking, his body began to change shape. His forelegs began to take the shape of arms, and his fur turned into more like black cloth: a shirt with a jaguar spot pattern, to be exact. His back legs became straighter and had dark red trousers on them, as well as white shoes on his feet. His face became shorter, his fur disappearing into tanned skin, and on his head was bronze yellow, slicked back hair. He then reached into his shirt pocket and put on a pair of sunglasses. The only thing that remained unchanged was the golden jewelry he wore.

Kuro Diablo...was really a human.

"Brother," said the jaguar-man. "It seems the ore deposits at Silver Mine have sunken...along with Bill."

"Is that so...Plata?" asked the shadowy figure, his gold-adorned fingers flexing a bit. "Well...no matter. I've had my fun with Bill and his little Silver Pirate Alliance...the real entertainment...begins now."

Kuro Diablo, or rather, Plata, just snickered at this.

"So it seems...Tesoro," he said.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...IN ONE PIECE FILM: GOLD!**

* * *

Well, that's it! The end of Silver Mine! Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to start Zou anytime soon, because, once again, I have to wait until Volume 81 of One Piece comes out for the U.S. It's a hard wait, I know, but at least it'll come out sometime after my birthday! Plus, that gives me time to work on other things, like my prompts.

BTW, I am going to see Film Gold when it is released in theaters, but I'm more than likely going to see it when it comes out in English subs online. That's not gonna stop me, though!

So, review, please!


End file.
